Sekondi Methodist Diocese elects first female Lay Chairman

Dixcove (W/R) April 30, GNA- Mrs Hagar Ekua Ntarmah, an educationist and marriage counsellor, was on Friday elected the Lay Chairman of the Sekondi Diocese of the Methodist Church. Mrs Ntarmah, the first female to be elected to that post since the Methodist Church, Ghan a, adopted the Episcopal system of administration in 2000.

She will succeed Mr. Thomas K. Mensah, also an educationist, whose three-year tenure of office ends on September this year. Mrs Ntarmah polled 61 votes out of the 115 votes cast by synod members to defeat Mrs Christina Blankson, Director of the Women's Division of the Church, who had 46 votes and Mrs. Francis Arthur, a property inspector of the Church who had eight votes. The election that took place at Dixcove, formed part of the 46th annual synod of the Sekondi Diocese of the Methodist Church. The five-day synod brought together priests and lay representatives of the Church to reflect on the religious organisation's past activities.

It also gave participants the opportunity to adopt new measures to advance the Church's evangelisation programme and to find solutions to the increasing challenges facing the Church its members.

The election was supervised by Mr. James A. A. Abadoo-Brew, the Connexional Lay President of the Methodist Church and was assisted by Very Reverend Adusa Eyison, Director of the Board of Ministries and a lecturer at the Trinity Theological College in Accra.

Mr. Abaidoo-Brew urged members of the Synod to support the Chairman Elect in her new role when she finally assumes office.

The Right Rev. John Harvey-Ewusi, Methodist Bishop of the Diocese, commended members of the Synod for ensuring a peaceful, free and fair elections.