President John Dramani Mahama has told leaders of the Assemblies of God that he has never regretted becoming a member of the church, as Ghana prepares to host the denomination's World Congress in Accra.
The Executive Committee of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship called on the President at the seat of government ahead of the congress, which opened in the capital on Wednesday, according to Graphic Online. The delegation was led by the fellowship's Global Chairman, Reverend Dominic Yeo, and by the host, General Superintendent Reverend Stephen Wengam.
During the meeting, President Mahama recounted the story of how he joined the church and said plainly that he had no regrets about that decision, Graphic Online reported. He also praised the present leadership of the church for the growth and change he said were visible in the denomination.
Why it matters
The visit places Ghana at the centre of a global Pentecostal gathering for the first time. Reverend Wengam said the congress is being held on African soil for the first time in the 115-year history of the Assemblies of God worldwide, a milestone he described as significant for the continent.
It also puts the relationship between the church and the state on public display. Reverend Wengam thanked President Mahama and his government for the support given to the organisers, while Reverend Yeo expressed the Executive Committee's gratitude for what he called the diverse assistance that had helped make the congress possible.
For the government, the event brings thousands of visiting delegates to Accra and a measure of international attention. President Mahama assured the delegation that the state would keep supporting the effort to make the congress peaceful, successful and impactful.
A first for Africa, and a nod to Ghana's history
Reverend Yeo congratulated Ghana on becoming the first African country to host the World Congress. He drew a comparison with the country's political past, noting that Ghana was also the first nation in sub-Saharan Africa to win independence.
The Global Chairman went further in his remarks about the President, commending what he called visionary and transformational leadership. He said that leadership was reflected in economic stability and in extensive road development. He urged President Mahama to keep representing Christ well in politics and to stay firm in his faith.
The Executive Committee's visit was not only ceremonial. Reverend Yeo presented congress souvenirs to the President and then led the delegation in prayer for him and for the prosperity of the nation.
Venue change for morning sessions
Reverend Wengam used the occasion to explain a late change to the congress programme. The morning conference will no longer hold at Independence Square. It has been moved to the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre.
He attributed the shift to technical hitches and said the new location is more conducive for the sessions. The change affects the morning portion of the programme, while the congress itself runs from October 14 to 16.
The General Superintendent said everything was in place for the gathering. His assurance came as the global chairman arrived in the country for the event, a visit reported separately by the Ghanaian Times.
Support from government and a message for the church
The courtesy call served as a formal welcome on both sides. President Mahama received the delegation in Accra and pledged the government's continued backing for the congress. His remarks about his own membership in the church were the most personal part of the exchange, and they were the line picked up by Graphic Online's report.
Reverend Wengam, for his part, commended the President and the government for the role they played in organising the event. The two leaders appeared together at the head of a delegation that included the fellowship's top executive body.
The congress itself is expected to draw Assemblies of God leaders and members from across the world to the Ghanaian capital. Its opening follows months of preparation and the arrival of senior figures, including Reverend Yeo, whose presence at the head of the Executive Committee underscored the weight the fellowship places on the Accra meeting.
The decision to hold the congress in Ghana carries symbolic value for a denomination that traces its modern global structure across many countries. Reverend Wengam's description of the event as the first of its kind on the continent places it alongside other continental firsts that Ghana has claimed since independence.
What to watch
The congress runs from October 14 to 16 at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre, with organisers saying all arrangements are complete and the government pledging continued support through the close of the event.
