South Central Ghana Conference

The South Central Ghana Conference is part of the Northern Ghana Union Mission in the West-Central Africa Division. It was organized in 1999 and reorganized and territory divided in 2015. South Central Ghana Conference occupies the following territories: parts of Asante Akim North, Asante Akim South, Bosome, Bosomtw, and Kumasimetropolitan districts. The conference headquarters are in Kumasi, Ghana.¹

As of June 30, 2018, the South Central Ghana Conference had 92 churches, membership of 18,976, and general population of 1,710,874.²

Background

In 1996, under the auspices of the West Africa Union Mission led by Pastor Peter Osei Mensah (president) and in collaboration with the leadership of the Central Ghana Conference led by Pastor W. G. Mensah (president), the church in Ghana saw the need to split the Central Ghana Conference into two. The Central Ghana Conference geographical territory covered the whole of the Ashanti region and parts of Brong Ahafo, Eastern, and Western regions. The total membership at the time stood at 95,144, and the number of churches was 277.³

First Reorganization (Central Ghana Conference)

When the idea came to create South Central Ghana Conference (SCGC) from Central Ghana Conference, a three-person committee was appointed to actualize this project. They were Pastor C. A. Tuffour (chair), Elder Sam Kotei, (secretary), and Pastor J. K. Mensah (member). The committee recommended that the new entity begin as an administrative unit (South Central Ghana Administrative Unit – SCGAU) with headquarters at Kwadaso and later move to Amakom. Ahinsan was proposed as the permanent headquarters for the new field. A parcel of land was also secured at Gyinyase for residential accommodation for officers and other workers.⁴

In June 1997, the West Africa Union Mission led by Pastor P. O. Mensah, in a one-day delegate session of the Central Ghana Conference in Kumasi, voted to establish these two entities and also outlined the officers and workers of the new unit (South Central Ghana Administrative Unit) whose boundaries expanded from Dunkwa, Obuasi, and Effiduasi, through Ashanti Akyim, part of the Eastern region and part of Kumasi.

The following constituted the first officers of the administrative unit: Israel Nana-Tuffour (director), K. Annor Boafo (secretary), Elder Oppong Mensah and later Elder Sam Kotei as treasurers. These officers operated the unit until it was officially organized. The statistical records of September 1997 revealed that the administrative unit had 25 districts, 137 organized churches, 284 companies, and a total membership of 50,111.⁵ Among the workers who joined the dynamic band during the administrative unit period were two experienced ministers—Pastor P. M. Djikunu and Pastor N. K. Gyimah.⁶

Inauguration of the SCGC Conference

With the support of pastors and church members, these officers worked to transform the administrative unit into a conference in 1998, and it was inaugurated on June 4-6, 1999, as a conference with the name South Central Ghana Conference.⁷ The inaugural sermon was preached by Pastor Luka T. Daniel, president of the Africa-Indian Ocean Division. The elected officers were Pastor Israel Nana-Tuffour (president), Pastor E.Y. Frimpong (executive secretary), and Elder Amos Oppong Afriyie (treasurer). The first executive committee members of the conference were Pastor Richard Armah Tandor, Pastor Kofi Antwi-Adarkwa, Pastor Frank Owusu Sekyere, Pastor Johnson Seth Owusu, Pastor A. A. Boateng, Pastor C. A. Tuffour, Pastor Robert Osei Bonsu, Pastor K. Annor Boafo, Pastor Nti Osei Kofi, Joseph Gyimah, O. Amo Mensah, Yaw Boakye Dankwah, Mary Osei Tutu, Ken Owusu Asiedu, Sara Pokuaa, Asiedu Appiah, and David Ansong.⁸

The Tenth Anniversary of the SCGC Conference

In 2002, Pastor Israel Nana-Tuffour continued with Pastor Kwabena Annor Boafo (executive secretary) and Elder Sam Kotei (treasurer) as the new administration.⁹ In 2005 the administration began the SDA Senior High School at Kenyase Kumasi. The conference celebrated its tenth anniversary on December 2, 2007, with the commissioning of the conference office building complex, which is now Hart Adventist Hospital. Pastor Israel Nana Tuffour retired from active service in 2007.¹⁰

Pastor Kwame Kwaning Boakye took over from Pastor Israel Nana Tuffour as the president in 2008, with Pastor Kwasi Boateng as the executive secretary, and Elder B. K. Brobbey as treasurer. During the tenure of this administration another private senior high school was established at Patriensa under the leadership of Pastor Elvis Asiamah in 2008.¹¹ The work continued until the president, Pastor Kwanin Boakye, was elected to the Ghana Union Conference as executive secretary in 2011, and the treasurer, Elder B. K. Brobbey, retired from active service.

Commission of Multi-Cultural Training Center

Pastor Kwame Annor Boahen became the president, with Pastor Kwasi Boateng as secretary, and Elder Kwasi Nimako Acheampong as treasurer in 2011.¹² During their tenure, the SCGC Multicultural Training Centre was built. It was commissioned by Pastor Ted N. Wilson, General Conference president, and blessed by Pastor Gilbert Wari, president of West-Central African Division, supported by Pastor Samuel A. Larmie (former president, Ghana Union Conference) on November 9, 2012.¹³

During this period the total membership of the conference stood at 79,148, with 56 districts, 233 churches, and 285 companies.¹⁴

In December 2013, Pastor Kwame Annor Boahen was transferred to the Northern Ghana Union as executive secretary and his position was filled by Kwabena Annor Boafo. By that time the membership had increased to 88,385.¹⁵

Second Reorganization Committee (South Central Ghana Conference)

In 2014, the leadership of the Northern Ghana Union Mission, led by Pastor Kwame Kwanin Boakye, president, in consultation with the leadership of South Central Ghana Conference, led by the president, Pastor Kwabena Annor Boafo, considered the growth and the increased membership of the South Central Conference and the planting of new churches all over the conference, and saw the need to reorganize the field into three organizations. A five-member committee was appointed to see the creation of the new administrative units. They were Pastor Samuel Antwi Mensah, Pastor Kwasi Boateng, Pastor Ernest Owusu Akyaw, Pastor Stephen Anokye, and Joyce Mensah. After extensive discussions and consultations, two new fields namely, Ashanti Central Ghana Administrative Unit (ASCAU) and Ashanti South Ghana Administrative Unit (ASSGAU), were carved out of the South Central Ghana Conference (SCGC) in July 2014.¹⁶

Administrative Directors for the Two Units

The elected officers for Ashanti Central Ghana Conference were Pastor Akwasi Boateng (director), Pastor Gabriel Kofi Kwateng (undersecretary), and Pastor Ernest Owusu Akyaw (undertreasurer).

And for Ashanti South Ghana Conference, Pastor Stephen Kofi Anokye (director), Pastor Newman Osaforo Adu Amankwah (undersecretary), and Elder Kwarteng Amaniampong Jr. (undertreasurer) were elected to operate the two territories.

South Central Ghana Conference Officers and Territory

Due to the reorganization, the administration changed. This time, Pastor K. Annor Boafo became the president, with Pastor Samuel Antwi Mensah as executive secretary, and Pastor Kwasi Nimako Acheampong as the treasurer.

The new South Central Ghana Conference now covers the following geographical areas of Ghana: parts of Kumasi metropolitan, Bosomtwe, Asante Akim North, Asante Akim South, and Bosome.

First Quadrennial Session

The South Central Ghana Conference (SCGC) first quadrennial session held in December 2014 at the Seventh-day Adventist Senior High School, Kenyase, elected Pastor Kwabena Annor Boafo as the president, Pastor Amponsah-Mensah Philip as executive secretary, and Pastor Nimako Acheampong as the treasurer. Pastor Nimako Acheampong received a call from Valley View University and was replaced by Pastor Michael Yeboah in September 2016.¹⁷

Evangelism

Immediately after the new leadership took over, a major conference-wide evangelistic campaign, under the theme “Ashanti for Christ” was organized. This campaign set the stage for the mission of the conference for the new administration.

The administration decided to set up a specialized hospital in 2015. July 1, 2016, marked the commissioning of this specialized hospital named Hart Adventist Hospital, which was housed in the South Central Ghana Conference old office complex at Ahinsan which now serves the communities, especially the urban poor in and around Kumasi.¹⁸

On July 1, 2017, the conference celebrated its 20^th anniversary under the leadership of Pastor Kwabena Annor Boafo (president), Pastor Philip Amponsah-Mensah (executive secretary), and Pastor Michael Yeboah (treasurer).

The conference started on January 1, 2015, with 21 districts, 76 organized churches, and 112 companies, with a total membership of 14,021. Today the districts have increased to 25, churches to 86, and companies to 120, with a total membership of 18,818, as of June 30, 2018.¹⁹

Sources

Central Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church. 3^rd Quarter Statistical Report, 1997. Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2012. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/old-yearbooks.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2019.

South Central Ghana Conference. Session Handbook, 2008. South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.

South Central Ghana Conference. Statistical Report, 1^st Quarter, 2014. South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.

South Central Ghana Conference. Reorganization Committee Report, 2014. South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.

South Central Ghana Conference. Session Handbook, December 2014. South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.

South Central Ghana Conference. Statistical Report, 2^nd Quarter, 2018. South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.

Yaw, Frimpong Emmanuel. South Central Ghana Conference, Inauguration Committee Report, 1998.South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.

Notes

1. “South Central Ghana Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2019), 401.↩

2. Ibid.↩

3. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, 1996, “Central Ghana Conference,” accessed June 25, 2019, documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB 1996.pdf.↩

4. Christian Asabre Tuffour, retired Ministerial Secretary, SCGC. Interview by the author, Kumasi, Ghana, June 22, 2018.↩

5. Central Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church, 3^rd Quarter Statistical Report, 1997, Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.↩

6. Mensah, W. G., retired president, Central Ghana Conference of SDA Church, Kumasi (1986-1999), interview by the author, Kumasi, Ghana, February 3, 2018.↩

7. “South Central Ghana Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, 2004, accessed June 25, 2019, documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB2004.pdf.↩

8. Frimpong Emmanuel Yaw, South Central Ghana Conference, Inauguration Committee Report, 1998, South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.↩

9. “South Central Ghana Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, 2003, accessed June 25, 2019, documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB2003.pdf.↩

10. Nana Israel Tuffour, former president, South Central Ghana Conference. Interview by the author, Amakom, Ghana, December 15, 2017.↩

11. South Central Ghana Conference, Session Handbook, 2008, South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.↩

12. “South Central Ghana Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, 2012, accessed June 25, 2019, documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB2012.pdf.↩

13. Annor Boahen, former president, South Central Ghana Conference, Interview by the author, Kumasi, Ghana, May 25, 2018.↩

14. Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, 2012, accessed October 30, 2019, https://www.adventistyearbook.org/2012.pdf.↩

15. South Central Ghana Conference, Statistical Report, 1^st Quarter, 2014, South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.↩

16. South Central Ghana Conference, Reorganization Committee Report, 2014, South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.↩

17. South Central Ghana Conference, Session Handbook, December 2014, South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.↩

18. Osei-Twum, Josiah, South Central Ghana Conference, Personal Ministries director, Interview by the author, Kumasi, Ghana, June 14, 2018.↩

19. South Central Ghana Conference, Statistical Report, 2^nd Quarter, 2018, South Central Ghana Conference archives, Kumasi, Ghana.↩