“We Are One People”- Kufuor

FORMER PRESIDENT John Agyekum Kufuor has asked Ghanaians not to view people with different political background as enemies.

According to him, “politics shows our differences in views while those elected are only to serve; we are all one people.”

Mr Kufuor was addressing congregants of the St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church Adoagyiri, near Nsawam during the launch of their Centenary Celebration last Sunday.

The celebration was dubbed, “A Journey of Faith: 100 Years of Evangelization of the Catholic Church Faith at Adoagyiri Parish.”

In attendance was the Vicar General of the Koforidua Diocese, Very Rev. Msgr. Francis Twum–Barimah, Municipal Chief Executive for Nsawam, Mike Amoaku-Dompre, Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. OB Amoah, Hon. Magnus Opare Asamoah, traditional leaders, and others.

“God has given us different views. Those who do not share the same view with you are not your enemies,” he added.

Mr. Kufuor averred that God created us in his own image; in His goodness and love, so we must share that with others.

He urged Christians to shun tribalism, religious differences and political differences since those was not what Jesus taught us.

Defining what democratic politics meant, former President Kufuor urged Ghanaians not to give their votes to people who would enslave them with the power given them.

He said, “We vote so that those we give power to will make our standard of living better; therefore vote for those who would do their work well for the benefit of all.”

Mr Kufuor said, those politicians who were mostly on radio talking than working, must not be given the mandate to rule us.

“You should not vote for persons who are always on radio talking instead of doing the work entrusted to them to do.”

The Vicar General of the Koforidua Diocese, Very Rev. Msgr. Francis Twum –Barimah in his homily, urged Ghanaians to be generous and be prepared to share with others.

Concelebrating with Rev. Fr. Augustine Frempong, the Priest- In- Charge, Rev. Fr Marcellus Gorleku, Rev. Msgr Francis Twum –Berima said due to human selfishness and greed, man tended to cheat others to survive.

“God is our provider; let’s learn to share whatever we have with others.”

He urged Christians to help eliminate hunger, difficulties, pain, killing and stealing from society by sharing what we have.

Giving a brief history of the church Andrews Nyarko –Adu said the church was introduced to Adoagyiri by a group of Ewe settler farmers from Kpando in the year 1913.

The group was later joined by indigenous people of the area necessitating the need for a more convenient place for their prayers.

They rented a store room of one Opanin Kwaku Nkansa near Adoagyiri Cocoa Park for their prayer meetings.

They then got in touch with the SMA missionaries in Elmina who occasionally sent a Priest to visit them and to strengthen their faith.

“The church affected the chief and elders of Adoagyiri who generously released a large tract of land on which presently stand all the Catholic Basic Schools, CYO National Headquarters and Training Centres as well as the CYO stadium.

Activities lined up for the celebration included a blood donation exercise in September, charity donation in October, clean-up at the Nsawam Government Hospital in November, inter-school Bible quiz in January2013, retreats for Parishners in March 2013 and anniversary lecture in May.

All activities would be climax with a pontifical high mass in August 2013.

Source: Linda Tenyah/D-Guide