Presbyterian Church gets new Moderator

Cape Coast July 14 GNA - The Reverend Dr. Yaw Frimpong-Manso, 53, of the Ashanti Presbytery, was on Thursday elected as the new Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at the Fourth General Assembly of the Church held at Cape Coast.

Rev. Frimpong-Manso polled 151 votes to beat the Reverend Peter Maugbi Kodjo of the Ga Presbytery, who polled 110 votes in the second round of voting, in which 266 commissioners from the 14 Presbyteries cast their votes.

Other contestants were the Rev Dr Effa Ababio; the Rev. Dr Kwame Amoah-Kuma, the Rev. Charles Barifi Ahwireng; the Rev Mrs Alice Kyei-Anti and the Rev. B.Y Quarshie, who stepped down his nomination. In all about 300 commissioners, representatives, council members and observes from Ghana, United States of America, United Kingdom and Africa attended the week-long assembly under the theme: "That they may have life in its fullness".

Rev. Frimpong-Manso would take over from the Rev. Dr Sam Prempeh, whose term of office ends on November 30 this year. Many of the delegates and church members stayed glued to their chairs as the voting and counting went on and some later went into jubilation, sang and danced to Church hymns when Rev. Frimpong-Manso was declared the Moderator-elect.

In his victory message, Rev. Frimpong-Manso thanked the Almighty God for making it possible for the successful election and also commended the Commissioners and Council members for nominating and voting him into office.

He said his vision for the church was to ensure evangelism and discipline, stressing that after 175 years of existence the Church had a population, which was not commensurate with its age compared with other younger churches.

He gave the assurance that he would continue with the good work of his predecessor, particularly in the area of education, health and the prvision of other infrastructure and projects that would enhance the development and growth of the Church.

Rev Frimpong-Manso said he would invest in viable projects that would make the Church financially sound to be able to achieve its God-given vision.

He called for unity and teamwork among the members of the Church and asked them to become agents of change both within the Church and in the society.