Most Rev. Prof. Asante honoured
The Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Kwaku Asante, has asked Ghanaians to avoid participating in any political and religious debate that could damage the country’s peace.
He stated that Ghana had come a long way to allow the actions of a few people to lead the country to needless confrontations, and added that “in spite of our differences as Ghanaians, our peace should be our ultimate goal.”
Most Rev. Asante made the call at a ceremony in Accra yesterday to honour him for his exemplary role as the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church and National Chairman of the NPC.
The award was bestowed on him by the leadership of the Methodist Church of Ghana. The citation accompanying the award lauded Most Rev. Asante for his national and international achievement, notable among them being his appointment by the government to be one of the three eminent persons to represent Ghana on the ECOWAS database of eminent personalities.
The ceremony was attended by high profile Ghanaians, including the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood; Archbishop Gabriel Charles Palmer Buckle of the Catholic Church of Ghana; and some ministers of state.
Remain steadfast
Most Rev. Asante underscored the need for Ghanaians to remain steadfast and resolute in protecting the peace and stability the country’s forefathers fought to achieve.
“Ghana will not burn and Ghana will live, no matter our political ideology or differences,” he declared.
Touching on the award, Most Rev. Asante said he was “highly humbled” by the honour done to him by the leadership of the Methodist Church.
He observed that when he took over the Presiding Bishop role of the church, his goal was to lead the church to Christ and promote the gospel in order to win more souls for God.
“Little did I know that my little effort to build on the solid foundation laid by my predecessors will be appreciated today,” he said.
He commended the leadership of the Methodist Church for the honour and dedicated the award to his wife, Mrs Comfort Asante, and his three children for being pillars in his life, besides God.
“Had it not been for my wife and my children’s help, perhaps I would not be standing here today,” Most Rev. Asante added.
Church’s decision
A member of the organising committee, Mrs Naomi Okine, said the decision to honour Most Rev. Asante was taken at the eighth Biennial and 46th Conference held in Kumasi last year.
“The church resolved to honour Most Rev. Asante in recognition of his national and international achievements during his tenure as the third Presiding Bishop and the 10th in line of the leadership of the Methodist Church since its autonomy in 1961,” she said.
The Dean of the School of Performing Art, Professor Opayin Kofi Agyekum, who chaired the function, lauded Most Rev. Asante for his role in promoting peace and development in Ghana.
He said his achievement was worth emulating and therefore charged the youth in particular to aspire to becoming good leaders of the country.