London Ghana Seventh-day Adventists Church
There was a huge ecstasy as well as excitement shown in the faces of the Pathfinder group of the London Ghana Seventh-day Adventists Church when they toured the UK Parliament to familiarize themselves with activities at the place.
The Pathfinder Group is made up of those who are in the fifth (5th) grade in school or its equivalent through the eighth (8th) grade. 5th and 6th graders are often referred to as "junior" pathfinders, and 7th and 8th graders are often referred to as "Teen" Pathfinders.
The four-hour tour by the 85-member group was aimed at helping the group to learn and appreciate how the legislative institution of the United Kingdom operatives. They also learned about the role of MPs and how to use them within their various constituencies.
It also afforded them the opportunity to have insight into the long lasting relationship between the UK and Ghana as well as whipping their enthusiasm and willingness to aspire to become Members of Parliament in future.
The group was taken round to study parliamentary ethics and procedures. They were also taken through the history of the UK Parliament and its contribution towards the socio-economic development of the citizenry.
Places visited included the Houses of Lords and Commons, The Queens’ Robing room, the lobbies among others and also learned about their functions.
The group expressed joy when they learnt that four of the sitting members of the UK Parliament namely Kwasi Kwarteng, Adam Afriyie and Sam Gyimah of the Conservatives Party and Diane Abbott of the Labour Party are of the Ghanaian origin.
They were also told by one of the Parliamentary Doorkeepers, who led them through the tour, Chris Symonds who also incidentally is of Ghanaian origin that there is also one member of the Lords namely Lord Paul Boateng who is also of Ghanaian origin.
The UK Parliament is arguably the oldest on the planet. The Lords and Commons carried on their work as usual there to ensure the socioeconomic as well as the security among other important matters about the people. It is built on the frontage of river Thames covering about a quarter of a mile long.
Mr. Symonds noted that Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin the great British architect who was a Christian provided Christian concepts in the designing of the parliament house popularly known as Palace of Westminster.
Its towers are so gigantic portraying spectacular and feats of civil engineering and building technology, which had never used before.
The interior, which looked unmatched, portrays Gothic features with rich materials such as gold stands outstanding since the middle ages, according to the Parliamentary Doorkeeper.
He motioned that Ghana among other Commonwealth countries provided support and assistance towards the rebuilding of the ancient gigantic structure.
Church Elders, Samuel Asamoah, David Anti and Japheth Obesie Amankwa who accompanied the group were of the view that the trip has not only served as a leisure but more importantly as an educative one which has whipped up the confidence of the members of the Pathfinder group.
They commended the leadership of the group for the high sense of commitment that went into the organisation of the trip.
In separate interviews some of the members of the group reckoned that the trip has been a very useful and has, broadening their knowledge about the country they live in.
The group later toured other parts of the Westminster area where the Westminster Abbey, one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs build in the 1540s, Number 10 Downing Street, the seat of government and the banks of river Thames are located.
