THREE major projects facilitated by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tafo-Pankrono, Dr Anthony Akoto-Osei, are nearing completion.
The projects are a girls dormitory and two masters’ flats of bungalows at the Osei Kyeretwie Secondary School (OKESS), the Old Tafo Hospital Maternity Block and the Old Tafo Divisional/District Police headquarters and barracks.
Contractors were busily putting finishing touches to the project when the Special Assistant to the MP, Mr J. K. Owusu-Boakye, conducted the Daily Graphic round the projects on Thursday.
Mr Owusu-Boakye said the level of development in the area under Dr Akoto-Osei, who is also the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, was unprecedented.
These developments, he said, had been in the area of infrastructure, peace and security, among others.
He commended the police for working very hard to reduce crime in the once troubled sub-metropolitan area.
The special assistant expressed the hope that the police station, when completed, would further improve the performance of the police.
Mr Owusu-Boakye expressed the hope that the infrastructure overlays would facilitate the socio-economic development of the people.
He commended the people for the support given to the MP and expressed the hope that they would continue in that direction for the benefit of the community and the people who lived in it.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
COURT FREES PASTOR ON INDECENT ASSAULT CHARGE
THE Kumasi Circuit Court has acquitted and discharged a popular Kumasi-based pastor, Odiyifo Kwadwo Atta, who was arraigned on charges of trial by ordeal and indecent assault.
Although the pastor admitted inserting his fingers into the private parts of a 24-year-old woman to remove some cowries which he tendered in evidence, the court upheld his defence that it was done with the consent of the woman’s relatives who were physically present.
Odiyifo Atta, who is the Founder and Leader of the Holy Michael Miracle Church and also the Dwantoafohene of the Bechem Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, was, therefore, acquitted and discharged by the court, presided over by Mr Agyei Frimpong.
A large number of his supporters who thronged the court poured powder on the 48-year-old pastor as a sign of victory after the judge had pronounced the ruling.
The case for the prosecution was that some time in May this year, the woman was sent to the pastor by some of her relatives to be exorcised of witchcraft.
According to the relatives, they had visited a fetish priest who had diagnosed the woman as being possessed by witchcraft.
After taking the woman through spiritual diagnoses, Pastor Atta confirmed that she was, indeed, possessed by witchcraft and that there were some cowries imbedded in her stomach which must be removed before she would be free.
The pastor then charged the relatives GH¢100 and asked them to provide a pair of hand gloves which he would use to remove the cowries through her private parts.
According to the prosecution, the relatives consented and provided the hand gloves and the money.
In the presence of the relatives, the pastor asked the woman to open her legs, which she obliged.
Using the hand gloves, the pastor inserted his fingers into the private parts of the woman and brought out the cowries.
He then asked the woman to stay at the prayer camp for one week for cleansing but she later left the camp.
On leaving the camp, the woman and her relatives went to Rev Ebenezer Adarkwa-Yiadom, who told them that the woman was not a witch and that it was an evil spirit that had tormented her.
The woman lodged a complaint with the police against Odiyifo Atta for wrongfully inserting his fingers into her genitals, after which he was charged.
The woman and her witnesses admitted during the trial that some cowries had been removed from her private parts.
In his defence, Odiyifo Atta admitted inserting his fingers into her private parts but said he had done that with the consent of the victim and her relatives.
Again, his defence was that the spiritual healing was not done in secret but in the full glare of her family members.
Passing judgement, the judge quoted authorities and said what had taken place at Odiyifo Atta’s prayer camp did not amount to trial by ordeal.
He explained that trial by ordeal involved inhuman acts, including physical assaults, which had not been present in the case in question.
"The accused did not force the woman to open her legs," Mr Frimpong said, and added that there was evidence that the cowries dropped from her private parts.
Besides, the judge said, in removing the cowries he used hand gloves and not the raw fingers, explaining that if the pastor had had had an ulterior motive, he would not have used the gloves.
Although the pastor admitted inserting his fingers into the private parts of a 24-year-old woman to remove some cowries which he tendered in evidence, the court upheld his defence that it was done with the consent of the woman’s relatives who were physically present.
Odiyifo Atta, who is the Founder and Leader of the Holy Michael Miracle Church and also the Dwantoafohene of the Bechem Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, was, therefore, acquitted and discharged by the court, presided over by Mr Agyei Frimpong.
A large number of his supporters who thronged the court poured powder on the 48-year-old pastor as a sign of victory after the judge had pronounced the ruling.
The case for the prosecution was that some time in May this year, the woman was sent to the pastor by some of her relatives to be exorcised of witchcraft.
According to the relatives, they had visited a fetish priest who had diagnosed the woman as being possessed by witchcraft.
After taking the woman through spiritual diagnoses, Pastor Atta confirmed that she was, indeed, possessed by witchcraft and that there were some cowries imbedded in her stomach which must be removed before she would be free.
The pastor then charged the relatives GH¢100 and asked them to provide a pair of hand gloves which he would use to remove the cowries through her private parts.
According to the prosecution, the relatives consented and provided the hand gloves and the money.
In the presence of the relatives, the pastor asked the woman to open her legs, which she obliged.
Using the hand gloves, the pastor inserted his fingers into the private parts of the woman and brought out the cowries.
He then asked the woman to stay at the prayer camp for one week for cleansing but she later left the camp.
On leaving the camp, the woman and her relatives went to Rev Ebenezer Adarkwa-Yiadom, who told them that the woman was not a witch and that it was an evil spirit that had tormented her.
The woman lodged a complaint with the police against Odiyifo Atta for wrongfully inserting his fingers into her genitals, after which he was charged.
The woman and her witnesses admitted during the trial that some cowries had been removed from her private parts.
In his defence, Odiyifo Atta admitted inserting his fingers into her private parts but said he had done that with the consent of the victim and her relatives.
Again, his defence was that the spiritual healing was not done in secret but in the full glare of her family members.
Passing judgement, the judge quoted authorities and said what had taken place at Odiyifo Atta’s prayer camp did not amount to trial by ordeal.
He explained that trial by ordeal involved inhuman acts, including physical assaults, which had not been present in the case in question.
"The accused did not force the woman to open her legs," Mr Frimpong said, and added that there was evidence that the cowries dropped from her private parts.
Besides, the judge said, in removing the cowries he used hand gloves and not the raw fingers, explaining that if the pastor had had had an ulterior motive, he would not have used the gloves.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
WE DON'T ENVISION POWER SHARING — MILLS (PAGE 14)
THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, has discounted reports that the NDC sent people to Kenya to study power sharing.
Describing it as one of the negative tactics of the NPP, Prof Mills said, "We don't anticipate anything like power sharing but a good win in the elections".
He was addressing members of the Tertiary Institutions Network (TEIN) of the NDC at the Kumasi Campus of the University of Education Winneba last Thursday night as part of his one-week tour of the Ashanti Region.
The auditorium of the university where the event took place was packed to capacity with many others struggling to watch the event from outside through the windows.
He said under his presidency, the government would build a modern office complex for the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) to reward the union for the support it gave to the NDC government in introducing the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GET Fund).
He said at that time the NPP, then in opposition, was organising walkouts in Parliament and castigating the NDC government for daring to introduce the GETFund, the NUGS saw wisdom in the fund and
wholeheartedly gave its support to the government.
"Quite strangely, the NPP who kicked against the fund are now claiming ownership of it and have even gone ahead to abuse it", Prof Mills said.
Prof. Mills gave the assurance that under his presidency, the GETFund would be decentralised to ensure effective implementation.
The presidential candidate further stated that a government of the NDC would use part of the fund to supplement the Students Loan Scheme.
He said the NPP government had no respect for teachers, and had therefore failed to improve their service conditions, especially in the area of study leave.
"I have been a teacher for the greater part of my working life and I know what teachers need", he said.
Prof Mills said teachers would be paid professional allowance in an NDC government.
A national teachers' council would also be instituted to work towards getting better conditions for teachers.
He expressed concern about the alarming rate of graduate unemployment in the country, and accused the NPP government of failing to implement policies and programmes to address the challenge.
That is why he had vowed to place emphasis on the training and retraining of graduates, and also support them with start up capital to set up their own businesses.
Prof Mills dismissed suggestions that he supervised the collapse of the Ghanaian economy when he was the chairman of the government's Economic Management Team.
He emphasised that under his chairmanship, Ghana achieved single-digit inflation until unfavourable global economic developments begun to have a toll on the Ghanaian economy in the latter part of the NDC administration.
ls said the NPP was deceiving Ghanaians that it had improved the economy, when in reality inflation was in double figures.
Describing it as one of the negative tactics of the NPP, Prof Mills said, "We don't anticipate anything like power sharing but a good win in the elections".
He was addressing members of the Tertiary Institutions Network (TEIN) of the NDC at the Kumasi Campus of the University of Education Winneba last Thursday night as part of his one-week tour of the Ashanti Region.
The auditorium of the university where the event took place was packed to capacity with many others struggling to watch the event from outside through the windows.
He said under his presidency, the government would build a modern office complex for the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) to reward the union for the support it gave to the NDC government in introducing the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GET Fund).
He said at that time the NPP, then in opposition, was organising walkouts in Parliament and castigating the NDC government for daring to introduce the GETFund, the NUGS saw wisdom in the fund and
wholeheartedly gave its support to the government.
"Quite strangely, the NPP who kicked against the fund are now claiming ownership of it and have even gone ahead to abuse it", Prof Mills said.
Prof. Mills gave the assurance that under his presidency, the GETFund would be decentralised to ensure effective implementation.
The presidential candidate further stated that a government of the NDC would use part of the fund to supplement the Students Loan Scheme.
He said the NPP government had no respect for teachers, and had therefore failed to improve their service conditions, especially in the area of study leave.
"I have been a teacher for the greater part of my working life and I know what teachers need", he said.
Prof Mills said teachers would be paid professional allowance in an NDC government.
A national teachers' council would also be instituted to work towards getting better conditions for teachers.
He expressed concern about the alarming rate of graduate unemployment in the country, and accused the NPP government of failing to implement policies and programmes to address the challenge.
That is why he had vowed to place emphasis on the training and retraining of graduates, and also support them with start up capital to set up their own businesses.
Prof Mills dismissed suggestions that he supervised the collapse of the Ghanaian economy when he was the chairman of the government's Economic Management Team.
He emphasised that under his chairmanship, Ghana achieved single-digit inflation until unfavourable global economic developments begun to have a toll on the Ghanaian economy in the latter part of the NDC administration.
ls said the NPP was deceiving Ghanaians that it had improved the economy, when in reality inflation was in double figures.
ALL SET FOR TOP 4 FINAL (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 2)
THE Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) has unveiled the magnificent trophy to be won at Sunday's final of the Glo Top 4 tournament at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko who placed second in the league phase of the tournament, face the leaders, Liberty Professionals, in what is expected to a grudge affair.
Apart from the Cup, the winner will take home GH¢15,000, with the loser getting GH¢10,000.
At a press briefing at the Baba Yara Stadium last Wednesday, Mr Kurt Okraku, the administrative manager of GHALCA, appealed to the fans to turn up in their numbers at the stadium to make a match a memorable one.
He said a raffle draw carrying attractive prizes would be organised on the day.
The match kicks off at 5 p.m.
The Chairman of GHALCA, Mr Emmanuel Adotey, stated that Kotoko and Liberty Professionals could be considered the best two clubs in the country now, and expectations were that they would provide the stuff of true leaders.
He was not happy about the low patronage of the competition and expressed the hope that the final would witness a significant change.
The General Manager of Globacom Ghana, Mr Suleiman Bello, said the company was proud to be associated with the Top 4 which he described as a big event on the national football calendar.
"I have been impressed with all the matches played so far", he said, adding that Africa has a lot to tell with regard to football.
Mr Bello was, however, concerned about the growing interest in foreign football in Ghana as against the local game.
He therefore called on sports journalists to help change the trend in order to save the national game.
GHALCA also announced that the awards ceremony for the competition would take place on November 1 in Accra.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko who placed second in the league phase of the tournament, face the leaders, Liberty Professionals, in what is expected to a grudge affair.
Apart from the Cup, the winner will take home GH¢15,000, with the loser getting GH¢10,000.
At a press briefing at the Baba Yara Stadium last Wednesday, Mr Kurt Okraku, the administrative manager of GHALCA, appealed to the fans to turn up in their numbers at the stadium to make a match a memorable one.
He said a raffle draw carrying attractive prizes would be organised on the day.
The match kicks off at 5 p.m.
The Chairman of GHALCA, Mr Emmanuel Adotey, stated that Kotoko and Liberty Professionals could be considered the best two clubs in the country now, and expectations were that they would provide the stuff of true leaders.
He was not happy about the low patronage of the competition and expressed the hope that the final would witness a significant change.
The General Manager of Globacom Ghana, Mr Suleiman Bello, said the company was proud to be associated with the Top 4 which he described as a big event on the national football calendar.
"I have been impressed with all the matches played so far", he said, adding that Africa has a lot to tell with regard to football.
Mr Bello was, however, concerned about the growing interest in foreign football in Ghana as against the local game.
He therefore called on sports journalists to help change the trend in order to save the national game.
GHALCA also announced that the awards ceremony for the competition would take place on November 1 in Accra.
BOLE-BAMBOI NPP GETS BOOST (PAGE 17)
A GHANAIAN consultant domiciled in Europe,Sheikh Mahmoud, has donated a number of items in the name of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, to boost the party’s campaign in the Bole Bamboi Constituency of the Northern Region.
The items included a 29-inch brand new Toshiba colour television set, 1,000 party T-Shirts, 3,000 posters, 1,000 ear rings in party colours and 100 pieces of NPP necklaces.
Presenting the items at a ceremony at Bole at the weekend, Sheikh Mahmoud advised the people of the constituency to vote massively for Nana Akufo-Addo in the presidential elections as well as Ms Afishatu Djaba Otiko, the NPP parliamentary candidate for Bole-Bamboi.
He said the constituency deserved better leadership in parliament, and that Ms Afishatu Otiko would provide that.
Sheikh Mahmoud, a former NPP parliamentary aspirant of the Ejura-Sekyedumaese Constituency in the Ashanti Region, indicated that there was no way the NPP would not win the elections in the first round.
He explained the philosophical underpinnings of Nana Akufo-Addo's campaign slogan, " Moving Forward", to the well-attended ceremony amidst continuous applause.
Sheikh Mahmoud emphasised that the December elections was about the future of the nation and not mere rhetoric as the NDC and some other opposition parties were doing.
Describing Nana Akufo-Addo as a thoroughbred, principled and honest politician, Sheikh Mahmoud said Ghana would be blessed to have him take over from President Kufuor.
He told the party members to use the television set to monitor the campaign programmes of Nana Akufo-Addo.
Speaking on behalf of the party, Ms Otiko thanked Sheikh Mahmoud and Nana Akufo-Addo for the donation.
She said the donation was going to enhance their activities as they moved to capture the seat from the NDC.
Accompanying Sheikh Mahmoud was Alhaji Seidu Bruku, a member of a research team he (Sheikh Mahmoud) constituted to work on the party's chances in some difficult constituencies in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions.
Also in attendance were Mr Mohammed Alfa Mahama, constituency chairman of the party, and Mr Sumani Mahama, constituency secretary.
The items included a 29-inch brand new Toshiba colour television set, 1,000 party T-Shirts, 3,000 posters, 1,000 ear rings in party colours and 100 pieces of NPP necklaces.
Presenting the items at a ceremony at Bole at the weekend, Sheikh Mahmoud advised the people of the constituency to vote massively for Nana Akufo-Addo in the presidential elections as well as Ms Afishatu Djaba Otiko, the NPP parliamentary candidate for Bole-Bamboi.
He said the constituency deserved better leadership in parliament, and that Ms Afishatu Otiko would provide that.
Sheikh Mahmoud, a former NPP parliamentary aspirant of the Ejura-Sekyedumaese Constituency in the Ashanti Region, indicated that there was no way the NPP would not win the elections in the first round.
He explained the philosophical underpinnings of Nana Akufo-Addo's campaign slogan, " Moving Forward", to the well-attended ceremony amidst continuous applause.
Sheikh Mahmoud emphasised that the December elections was about the future of the nation and not mere rhetoric as the NDC and some other opposition parties were doing.
Describing Nana Akufo-Addo as a thoroughbred, principled and honest politician, Sheikh Mahmoud said Ghana would be blessed to have him take over from President Kufuor.
He told the party members to use the television set to monitor the campaign programmes of Nana Akufo-Addo.
Speaking on behalf of the party, Ms Otiko thanked Sheikh Mahmoud and Nana Akufo-Addo for the donation.
She said the donation was going to enhance their activities as they moved to capture the seat from the NDC.
Accompanying Sheikh Mahmoud was Alhaji Seidu Bruku, a member of a research team he (Sheikh Mahmoud) constituted to work on the party's chances in some difficult constituencies in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions.
Also in attendance were Mr Mohammed Alfa Mahama, constituency chairman of the party, and Mr Sumani Mahama, constituency secretary.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
NPP HAS BEEN A FAILURE (PAGE 16)
THE presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Evans Atta Mills, has said the NPP has been a failure in government for almost the eight years that it has been in power and does not deserve another term.
He said the government had not been able to meet the aspirations of the people and the signs were clear that Ghanaians were ready to return the NDC to power to reclaim the nation's lost glory.
Prof. Mills said this at Akomadan in the Offinso North District last Tuesday when he addressed a rally as part of his campaign tour of the Ashanti Region.
The enthusiastic party faithful thronged the rally grounds to listen to their presidential candidate who looked hearty and spoke with much energy to continuous cheers.
The NDC lost the Offinso North Constituency by only 300 votes in the 2004 elections, and it had vowed to recapture the seat this time around.
Referring to the impressive number of people who had so far welcomed him in the Ashanti Region, Prof. Mills said the NPP's claim that Ashanti was its preserve was not true.
Nothing, he stressed would prevent the NDC from winning power come December, no matter the lies and propaganda churned out by the NPP, he said.
Prof. Mills said the party would never push for any form of violence in the December elections and added that his message for peace before, during and after the elections was real hoping that the other political parties would follow suit.
In spite of the call for peace, Prof. Mills said that did not mean party members should allow themselves to be bullied into submission by their opponents, especially the NPP.
Prof. Mills, therefore, urged party supporters especially the agents who would be at the polling centres to be extra vigilant.
He promised to be a President for all Ghanaians by seeing to the fair allocation of national resources.
The NDC presidential candidate criticised the NPP government for discriminating against perceived political opponents and said a government of the NDC would play a fair game.
Prof. Mills said education would be the centrepiece of his presidency,because without a massive push for educational development Ghana would not progress.
The NDC presidential candidate indicated that the push for educational
development would be matched with a massive employment drive.
He expressed regret about the unstable employment policies of the NPP
government and said the NDC would streamline things for the betterment of the teeming unemployed youth.
Prof. Mills accused the NPP of using negative tactics including
personal attacks on his person and other NDC leaders and said
Ghanaians were wide awake and could easily see through all this.
Prof. Mills also addressed rallies at Afrancho and Abofuor, and also
called on the chiefs at the Offinso Traditional Council.
He was accompanied by some NDC officials from the national and
regional headquarters.
At Akomadan, he introduced the parliamentary candidate for
Offinso North, Mr Appiah Kubi, to the electorate while at Abofuor, the
parliamentary candidate for Offinso South, Ms Barbara Serwaa, was
introduced.
Earlier on Monday, Prof. Mills toured the Ahafo Ano North and Ahafo Ano
South constituencies.
At Tepa in Ahafo Ano North Constituency, he was at the Omanhene's
Palace to pay a courtesy call on him and later addressed party members,
urging them to vote massively for him and the NDC parliamentary
candidate.
He said the government had not been able to meet the aspirations of the people and the signs were clear that Ghanaians were ready to return the NDC to power to reclaim the nation's lost glory.
Prof. Mills said this at Akomadan in the Offinso North District last Tuesday when he addressed a rally as part of his campaign tour of the Ashanti Region.
The enthusiastic party faithful thronged the rally grounds to listen to their presidential candidate who looked hearty and spoke with much energy to continuous cheers.
The NDC lost the Offinso North Constituency by only 300 votes in the 2004 elections, and it had vowed to recapture the seat this time around.
Referring to the impressive number of people who had so far welcomed him in the Ashanti Region, Prof. Mills said the NPP's claim that Ashanti was its preserve was not true.
Nothing, he stressed would prevent the NDC from winning power come December, no matter the lies and propaganda churned out by the NPP, he said.
Prof. Mills said the party would never push for any form of violence in the December elections and added that his message for peace before, during and after the elections was real hoping that the other political parties would follow suit.
In spite of the call for peace, Prof. Mills said that did not mean party members should allow themselves to be bullied into submission by their opponents, especially the NPP.
Prof. Mills, therefore, urged party supporters especially the agents who would be at the polling centres to be extra vigilant.
He promised to be a President for all Ghanaians by seeing to the fair allocation of national resources.
The NDC presidential candidate criticised the NPP government for discriminating against perceived political opponents and said a government of the NDC would play a fair game.
Prof. Mills said education would be the centrepiece of his presidency,because without a massive push for educational development Ghana would not progress.
The NDC presidential candidate indicated that the push for educational
development would be matched with a massive employment drive.
He expressed regret about the unstable employment policies of the NPP
government and said the NDC would streamline things for the betterment of the teeming unemployed youth.
Prof. Mills accused the NPP of using negative tactics including
personal attacks on his person and other NDC leaders and said
Ghanaians were wide awake and could easily see through all this.
Prof. Mills also addressed rallies at Afrancho and Abofuor, and also
called on the chiefs at the Offinso Traditional Council.
He was accompanied by some NDC officials from the national and
regional headquarters.
At Akomadan, he introduced the parliamentary candidate for
Offinso North, Mr Appiah Kubi, to the electorate while at Abofuor, the
parliamentary candidate for Offinso South, Ms Barbara Serwaa, was
introduced.
Earlier on Monday, Prof. Mills toured the Ahafo Ano North and Ahafo Ano
South constituencies.
At Tepa in Ahafo Ano North Constituency, he was at the Omanhene's
Palace to pay a courtesy call on him and later addressed party members,
urging them to vote massively for him and the NDC parliamentary
candidate.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
AKWASI SARPONG...Man of many qualities (PAGE 29)
SOME did not understand why, as a clergyman of no mean repute, the Most Reverend Peter Akwasi Sarpong should have so much affection for African traditional religion.
A traditionalist par excellence, he moved for the inculcation of African traditions into the Catholic way of worship and today things have changed in the church, as traditional drums like atumpan are played during the celebration of mass.
Last Friday, one of the most revered clergymen to emerge from the land, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, the Most Rev Sarpong, officially retired after 50 years’ service to the Catholic faith, Christianity and Ghana.
Thirty-eight years of his priesthood saw him as Bishop of Kumasi.
The first time I came into contact with the Most Rev Sarpong was some time in 1974. At that time the Kumasi Diocese covered the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions.
Then a little boy at the Goaso Roman Catholic Primary School, I went through the Catholic confirmation at Mim, the parish under which Goaso fell then.
I vividly remember attending the ceremony with a white cloth belonging to my mother (now deceased), who was a staunch Catholic.
As I knelt down before the huge frame of Bishop Sarpong for him to perform the sacred ceremony with oil, his deep male voice cut through the inside of my body and when all was over I came out as a fully-fledged Catholic.
That was just a small part of a man whose credentials every true Catholic is proud of.
No wonder the President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, showered tonnes of glory on him at his farewell mass in Kumasi last Thursday.
Just hear the President: "Bishop Sarpong is almost unique among others of his calling. He is not only a man of God but also a scholar and a thoroughbred traditionalist, a veritable son of the soil."
Born on February 26, 1933 at Maase-Offinso in the Ashanti Region, the Most Rev Sarpong attended the Offinso-Maase Catholic School, the St Joseph's School at Bechem and then the St Teresa's Minor Seminary and Major Seminary at Amisano.
He also schooled at the University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome and the Oxford University. He holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology and a Masters in Social Anthropology.
With such rich educational background, it is not surprising that the Most Rev Sarpong took much interest in education during his priesthood in the Catholic Church.
He was once a part-time tutor of Opoku Ware School, St Louis Secondary School, Holy Child Secondary School and Archbishop Porter Girls' Secondary School in Takoradi.
He was also once the Rector of the St Peter's Seminary, Cape Coast. In fact, he was the first African to head any major or minor seminary in Ghana.
An education fund he helped to initiate in the church has been in existence for over 30 years and many needy children have benefited from it.
The Most Rev Sarpong has also assisted in securing scholarships for many young ones to study abroad in various fields of education.
These and many others place him as one of the pillars of education in the Catholic faith and, indeed, the entire nation.
Evangelism remained the core of his life and he never joked with it.
People who have seen the Most Rev Sarpong celebrate mass know he does it with such finesse that he has won many converts into the Catholic faith.
His efforts at national development have also seen him initiating several projects in the health, educational and income-generating spheres.
Mention can be made of the numerous Catholic health institutions in Ashanti, as well as some in the Brong Ahafo Region.
I remember that in my childhood days at Goaso the only hospital in the entire Ahafo area was the St Elizabeth Hospital at Hwidiem. It offered valuable services to the people of the entire Ahafo area and even today it is one of the major health institutions in the entire Brong Ahafo Region.
The Catholic Church believes in empowering people to undertake income-generating activities to improve their lot. The church believes that addressing economic challenges is one sure way of expanding evangelism.
Consequently, the Kumasi Archdiocese, under the Most Rev Sarpong, encouraged the establishment of co-operative credit unions throughout the diocese, which have gone a long way to bring happiness to many people through support for their businesses.
Some saw him as a politician because of the way he criticised the bad policies of some governments in the past, but he was not.
The Most Rev Sarpong detests oppression and bad governance, and that was why he fiercely challenged the late General Kutu Acheampong when he wanted to introduce the Union Government.
The archbishop also hit against some of the bad policies of the PNDC government.
As he bows out from his long years in the priesthood, many will miss his unique qualities, but as President Kufuor said, even in retirement, Ghanaians would be happy to benefit from the Most Rev Sarpong’s wisdom.
A traditionalist par excellence, he moved for the inculcation of African traditions into the Catholic way of worship and today things have changed in the church, as traditional drums like atumpan are played during the celebration of mass.
Last Friday, one of the most revered clergymen to emerge from the land, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, the Most Rev Sarpong, officially retired after 50 years’ service to the Catholic faith, Christianity and Ghana.
Thirty-eight years of his priesthood saw him as Bishop of Kumasi.
The first time I came into contact with the Most Rev Sarpong was some time in 1974. At that time the Kumasi Diocese covered the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions.
Then a little boy at the Goaso Roman Catholic Primary School, I went through the Catholic confirmation at Mim, the parish under which Goaso fell then.
I vividly remember attending the ceremony with a white cloth belonging to my mother (now deceased), who was a staunch Catholic.
As I knelt down before the huge frame of Bishop Sarpong for him to perform the sacred ceremony with oil, his deep male voice cut through the inside of my body and when all was over I came out as a fully-fledged Catholic.
That was just a small part of a man whose credentials every true Catholic is proud of.
No wonder the President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, showered tonnes of glory on him at his farewell mass in Kumasi last Thursday.
Just hear the President: "Bishop Sarpong is almost unique among others of his calling. He is not only a man of God but also a scholar and a thoroughbred traditionalist, a veritable son of the soil."
Born on February 26, 1933 at Maase-Offinso in the Ashanti Region, the Most Rev Sarpong attended the Offinso-Maase Catholic School, the St Joseph's School at Bechem and then the St Teresa's Minor Seminary and Major Seminary at Amisano.
He also schooled at the University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome and the Oxford University. He holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology and a Masters in Social Anthropology.
With such rich educational background, it is not surprising that the Most Rev Sarpong took much interest in education during his priesthood in the Catholic Church.
He was once a part-time tutor of Opoku Ware School, St Louis Secondary School, Holy Child Secondary School and Archbishop Porter Girls' Secondary School in Takoradi.
He was also once the Rector of the St Peter's Seminary, Cape Coast. In fact, he was the first African to head any major or minor seminary in Ghana.
An education fund he helped to initiate in the church has been in existence for over 30 years and many needy children have benefited from it.
The Most Rev Sarpong has also assisted in securing scholarships for many young ones to study abroad in various fields of education.
These and many others place him as one of the pillars of education in the Catholic faith and, indeed, the entire nation.
Evangelism remained the core of his life and he never joked with it.
People who have seen the Most Rev Sarpong celebrate mass know he does it with such finesse that he has won many converts into the Catholic faith.
His efforts at national development have also seen him initiating several projects in the health, educational and income-generating spheres.
Mention can be made of the numerous Catholic health institutions in Ashanti, as well as some in the Brong Ahafo Region.
I remember that in my childhood days at Goaso the only hospital in the entire Ahafo area was the St Elizabeth Hospital at Hwidiem. It offered valuable services to the people of the entire Ahafo area and even today it is one of the major health institutions in the entire Brong Ahafo Region.
The Catholic Church believes in empowering people to undertake income-generating activities to improve their lot. The church believes that addressing economic challenges is one sure way of expanding evangelism.
Consequently, the Kumasi Archdiocese, under the Most Rev Sarpong, encouraged the establishment of co-operative credit unions throughout the diocese, which have gone a long way to bring happiness to many people through support for their businesses.
Some saw him as a politician because of the way he criticised the bad policies of some governments in the past, but he was not.
The Most Rev Sarpong detests oppression and bad governance, and that was why he fiercely challenged the late General Kutu Acheampong when he wanted to introduce the Union Government.
The archbishop also hit against some of the bad policies of the PNDC government.
As he bows out from his long years in the priesthood, many will miss his unique qualities, but as President Kufuor said, even in retirement, Ghanaians would be happy to benefit from the Most Rev Sarpong’s wisdom.
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