CeFORCE Supports 155 With ¢200 Million

THE CENTRE for Community Empowerment (CeFORCE), Christian NGO of the Grace Baptist Church in Kumasi, which seeks to address the spiritual, economic and socio-political needs of the community, has marked its tenth anniversary.

The theme for the celebration was " Ghana 's motto and her 50 years Human Rights record; empowering the community for Freedom and Justice in the next 50 years-The Role of the Church".

The occasion was climaxed with a thanksgiving service and symposium which was addressed by distinguished speakers including Mr. Paul Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the Ghana National Media Commission; Prof. S. N. Buatsi, Dean of KNUST School of Business and Dr. Steve Sobotie, Principal of the Kumasi campus of the University of Education, Winneba.

Their topics were: "Upholding the rule of law and Justice", "Tackling Poverty to ensure necessities of life" and "Ensuring free, basic and skills development education" respectively.

Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante, Head of the Religious Studies Dept., KNUST gave the keynote address.

CeFORCE undertakes a multiplicity of programmes and activities including career counseling, vocational guidance and skill acquisition, business and entrepreneurial training, careers fairs, workshops and seminars on HIV/AIDS, human rights as well as granting of soft loans to trainees.

The Director of the Centre, Rev. Kojo Osei-Wusu, a Senior Pastor of the Grace Baptist Church, disclosed that CeFORCE has served a total of 10,376 people in both physical and social needs with 4,427 receiving direct training on various skills and vocation from the centre free of charge.

According to him, a total of 200 million cedis in soft loans has been granted to about 155 trainees so far.

Rev. Osei-Wusu noted that there had been tremendous growth in membership of the church from a few people to the current 4,000 and that 13 former deacons had become ministers while 36 had had full sponsorship for seminary training.

He as well announced that 29 churches have been planted all over the country affirming the strides the church has made in the spiritual ministry.

Pastor Osei-Wusu announced that the centre plans to build a home in the centre of the metropolis to cater for young girls from Northern Ghana.

Contributing to the theme at a thanksgiving service last Sunday, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, said protecting and safeguarding the rights and freedom of the people are the collective responsibilities of all Ghanaians, institutions and agencies.

According to him any nation, which did not protect and safeguard such rights tended to impede good governance.

He pointed out that for a nation to develop there is the need to put premium on empowering the people not only by protecting their rights but also equipping them with the requisite marketable skills to enable them live meaningful lives.

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