President Akufo-Addo marks founding of UGCC at Saltpond

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday joined the Wesley Methodist Church Congregation in Saltpond to mark the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).

Also at the ceremony were Ministers of State, Legislators, traditional rulers, stalwarts of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), dignitaries and many from all works of life.

The memorial and thanksgiving service formed part of activities marking Ghana’s 60 Years of independence.

The UGCC was one of the foremost political movements in the struggle for independence from the coloniser, Britain.

The President, resplendent in a white shirt over black trousers, electrified the congregants as he stepped into the Church, with some of the elated congregants showering appellations on the iconic political and human rights advocate.

He read the first Bible scripture from Isaiah 40:25-31, while the Acting Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mr Freddy Blay, took the second reading from Philippians 4:6-9.

In a sermon, which focused on the scriptures read by the President, the former Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Most Reverend Asante Antwi, asked political and pressure groupings to always uphold due processes and to operate within the boundaries of the law.

He stressed the need for modesty and circumspection in the deeds and pronouncements of politicians, calling on all and sundry to reverence the forebears of Ghana's independence struggle.

The Most Rev. Asante Antwi also urged the Government to invest in the reformation of education because he explained, “but for education, our forebears would not have been able to take the practical and analytical decisions that brought us independence".

He also appealed to Ghanaians and the corporate world to support plans to build the National Cathedral in Accra and amplified a prophecy about the exploration of oil in Saltpond that would create jobs and boost Ghana's economy.

"Let today's celebration lead us to a new path so that Ghana would be great and strong," he prayed.

Prayers were said for the promotion of incorruptible leadership, quality education, job creation, unity and consensus building in the polity of the country.

The UGCC was established at Saltpond on August 4, 1947, by Dr J.B. Danquah, with the support of Edward Akufo-Addo, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and other lawyers, academicians, and traditional leaders, and with funding from merchants such as George Alfred Grant.

In December that year, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, upon the recommendation of Ebenezer Arko-Adjei, was invited from Liverpool, England, to become the General Secretary of the Party.

However, following disagreement over the direction of the independence movement, Dr. Nkrumah parted ways with the UGCC and went on to form the Convention Peoples Party and, eventually, became the first president of the Independent Ghana.