Saltpond (E/R), July 18, GNA - A commemoration service in honour of Reverend John Boateng Prempeh, son of King Prempeh I, has been held at the Saints Peter and Paul Parish at Saltpond. Rev Prempeh was the first Ashanti to be ordained as priest of the Anglican Church. The Very Rev. Emmanuel Entsi Williams, Archdeacon of the Parish and the principal celebrant of the service, recounted the dedication of Rev. Prempeh during his tenure the Parish. He said Rev. Prempeh was born in 1903 at Seychelles Island after his father went there on exile in 1896.
Very Rev. Williams said Rev. Prempeh had his basic education at Seychelles, followed by his theological education in the Mauritius where he was ordained into the priesthood of the Anglican Church. The young priest returned to the Gold Coast in December 1929, six years after the establishment of the Church in Saltpond and assumed duty as the first priest for the Parish. Archdeacon Williams said though Rev. Prempeh served the Parish for only five years, he achieved a lot in evangelization, including establishment of schools.
Venerable Edmund Dawson Amoah, suffrage Bishop-elect of the Cape Coast Diocese of the Anglican Church, exhorted Christians to render selfless services to their churches and the nation so that one day they would also be remembered for their good works. Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister of Information and National Orientation, reiterated the need for the electorate to conduct themselves peacefully in the upcoming elections. Mr. Asamoah-Boateng who is also the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman West, charged Christians to lead the crusade for ensuring peaceful elections.
Mr. Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfantseman Municipal Chief Executive, appealed to residents who had not registered with the National Identification programme to do so before the exercise ends in the Central region on July 23. The MCE also called on people who had attained the voting age of 18 years to register when the voters register opened. The service formed part of activities marking the 85th anniversary of the Anglican Church.
