Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, resigns from office

 

President Akufo-Addo first appointed Ms Dapaah as the aviation minister in January 2017. The president moved her to the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources in 2018

 July 22, 2023

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The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, tendered her resignation letter to President Akufo-Addo, today (Saturday 22 July 2023) following a news report about a criminal case instituted at the Accra circuit court against five individuals who are charged with the offence of stealing various sums of money and items from her home in Abelenkpe, a suburb of Accra.

President Akufo-Addo first appointed Ms Dapaah as the aviation minister in January 2017.

She was moved to the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources in a reshuffle the following year and reappointed to the same portfolio when President Akufo-Addo began his second term in office.

In her resignation letter, Ms Dapaah says that her decision to resign from office is motivated by her desire not to allow her personal matters to become “a hindrance on the work of government”. She also declares that she will co-operate fully with all state agencies that may seek to engage her in any investigations.

“Since yesterday, Friday July 21 2023, social and traditional media have been full of stories about a court case involving a theft that took place last year in the home I live with my husband and daughter,” the letter says. “The stories sought to suggest that I own various huge sums of foreign currencies and millions of Ghana cedis which have been stolen from my home.

“Whereas I can state emphatically that those figures do not represent correctly what my husband and I reported to the police, I am very much aware of the import of such stories around someone in my position. I am resigning therefore because I do not want this matter to become a preoccupation of government and a hindrance to the work of government at such a crucial time,” the letter by Dapaah reads.

“I intend to co-operate fully with all state agencies to enable them fully establish the facts. I have no doubt whatsoever that at the end of the processes, it will be fully established that I have conducted myself with integrity during my period in public service and I will be fully exonerated from all the allegations that have filled the public domain in the past 24 hours.

“I thank you my dear, Mr President, for the honour done me in giving me the opportunity to serve our beautiful nation Ghana,” Ms Dapaah further stated in her letter of resignation.

Noticeable inconsistencies

Prior to her resignation, Ms Dapaah issued a statement noting that the reportage on the stolen monies at her residence by two house helps is fraught with noticeable inconsistencies between what is being discussed in the public domain and the crux of the original complaint on the matter she filed.

“I refer to publications dated 21/8/2023 suggesting that I own one million dollars, three hundred thousand Euros and millions of cedis which have been stolen in my house.

“There are noticeable inconsistencies between what is being discussed in the public domain and the thrust of the original complaint on the matter. I am taking steps to examine the inconsistencies and will provide detailed response in the coming days,” the statement concludes.

Theft case

News of five individuals charged with the offence of stealing various sums of money from the home of Ms Dapaah went viral following the publication of a front-page report by the Chronicle newspaper on Friday 21 July 2023.

Subsequently, an amended charge sheet for the case of the Republic versus Patience Botwe, Sarah Agyei, Benjamin Sowah, Kwaku Botwe and Malik Dauda emerged.

According to the charge sheet, the five accused are charged with ten counts of conspiracy to commit crime, to wit: stealing, contrary to Sections 23 (1) and 124 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29); stealing, contrary to Section 124 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960; and dishonestly receiving, contrary to Section 146 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960.

Brief facts of the case

According to the brief facts attached to the charge sheet, the complainants in the case are Daniel Osei Kuffour and his wife, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who reside at Abelenkpe, Accra.

The first accused (A1), Patience Botwe (also known as Maabena) was a househelp to the complainants. The second accused (A2), Sarah Agyei, is currently unemployed and a former househelp to the complainants.

The third accused (A3), Benjamin Sowah, is a boyfriend to A1.

The fourth accused (A4), Kwaku Botwe, is A1’s father and the fifth accused (A5), Malik Dauda, is A1’s former boyfriend.

Some time in June 2023, the complainants reported a theft of cash and personal effects, as noted on the face of the charge sheet. Before then, A1, who was a househelp to the complainants, had been caught opening and entering the bedroom of the complainants with a duplicate key.

Upon intelligence, A1 and A3 were arrested at a hideout in Tamale in the Northern Region. A search of their room led to the discovery of US$40,000 and GHC72,619.70.

Police investigations showed that some time in October 2022, the complainant Daniel Osei Kuffour returned from town and observed that the door to the bedroom he shares with his wife, which had been locked, was open. He also heard an unusual noise coming from the room.

He entered the room and found A1 hiding behind the door therein. Subsequently, the complainants detected thefts of the property listed on the face of the charge sheet.

Further investigations showed that A1 had used part of the stolen money to buy a three-bedroomed house in Amrahia, Accra, at a cost of US$70,000.

The following brand-new items which A1 used part of the stolen money to buy were also retrieved from the said house: one double-deck refrigerator, one television set, one washing machine, one chest freezer, one gas cooker and one water dispenser. Also discovered were related items.

A1 and A3 also confessed that they used some of the stolen money to buy a Hyundai Elantra with the registration number GE 9771-23 at a cost of GHC80,000. A1 also gave GHC180,000 to A3, who used the money to purchase an unregistered Honda Civic car with the plate number DV 4903-23. This has been retrieved by the police.

Investigations also disclosed that A1 and A3 used parts of the stolen money to rent a three-bedroomed apartment in Tamale at a total cost of GHC105,600 for a period of two years.

In addition, A1 and A3 used part of the stolen money to rent a storeroom in Tamale at a total cost of GHC120,000.

A1 admitted the offence and mentioned A2 as her accomplice, explaining that, when they were working in the complainants’ house, she used to keep watch of the main gate for A2 to go into the complainants’ room to steal money, after which they would share the spoils.

A2 was subsequently arrested from a hideout in Budumburam, a suburb of Kasoa, and began to assist the police investigation. Further questioning led to the discovery that A2 had used part of the stolen money to build a three-bedroomed, self-contained house in Budumburam.

A1 also gave GHC50,000 out of the stolen money to A4, who admitted this fact during interrogation. A2 further gave GHC100,000 out of the stolen money to A5, who also admitted same.

Political profile

Cecilia Abena Dapaah is a Ghanaian politician and a member of the New Patriotic Party. She is a former MP for Bantama in the Ashanti Region, and previously served as the deputy minister of water resources, works and housing.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and linguistics in 1979 from the University of Ghana. She holds a certificate in leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School, as well as a postgraduate certificate in international development studies from the University of Oslo.

She was a development worker and a special assistant to President John Agyekum Kufuor. She was appointed chair of the board of Ghana Cocoa Processing Company in 2005 and moved from there to become the deputy water resources, works and housing minister in 2005.

She also served as the substantive minister from 2007 to 2008, when she stood for and won the Bantama seat. She served as an MP from 2009 to 2013.

Cecilia Abena Dapaah served on the parliamentary committees for employment, foreign affairs, works and jousing, social welfare and youth, and special budget, as well as the advisory committee to the Speaker of Parliament.

President Akufo-Addo first nominated her for the position of aviation minister on 7 January 2017.

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$1m, €300k & Millions of Cedis Stolen from Cecilia Dapaah’s Home at Abelemkpe In Accra

 Two house helps of Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, are before an Accra Circuit Court, for allegedly stealing monies and items running into millions of Ghana Cedis.

The said monies were allegedly stolen from the couple’s room in their house at Abelemkpe, a suburb of Accra, in the Greater Accra region.

18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei allegedly stole the monies and personal effects of the couple, between the months of July and October 2022.

The first accused, (A1) Patience, also has her current and former boyfriends, as well as her father, all being dragged before the same court.

Patience and Sarah (A2), are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing US$1 million, €300,000 and millions of Ghana cedis.

Within the same period, Patience and Sarah allegedly stole personal effects of Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, which included assorted clothes, valued at GH¢95,000, handbags and perfumes,

The rest are jewelleries valued at US$95,000 from Cecilia Abena Dapaah.However, Patience alone, within the same period stole six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six set of men suits valued at US$3,000 which are properties of the minister’s husband.

Benjamin (A3), 29 years old, a plumber, has been charged for dishonestly receiving GH¢180,000, Kweku Botwe (A4), 65 years, a trader, also dishonestly receiving GH¢50,000 and Malik Dauda (A5), 23 and unemployed, dishonesty receiving GH¢1 million.

As earlier stated, the monies mentioned are all properties of the Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, stolen from a bedroom that she shares with her husband.

All five accused persons were arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Susana Ekuful on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Their pleas are yet to be taken, but Sarah has been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢1 million, with two sureties. The sureties are to deposit their Ghana cards with the registrar of the court.

Her Honour, Susana Ekuful, further stated that the bail condition is subject to review by the substantive judge, as she was serving as a relief judge.

Patience, together with her alleged boyfriends and father, had been remanded into lawful custody.Sarah was granted bail because she is a breastfeeding mother.

Brief facts

The court was told in the amended charge sheet and brief facts that Patience, also known as Maabena, was a house help of the complainants, Daniel Osei Kuffour and his wife, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

The court was further told that Sarah was also a former house help of the complainants.

Her Honour Susana Ekuful was told that the complainants reported the case to the police somewhere in June, this year, after detecting theft of cash and their personal effects.

Preceding the report, Patience was caught to have opened and entered the couple’s room with a duplicate key.

A1 was caught by Mr Kuffour, who returned from town only to find out that their bedroom was opened, as well as hearing an unusual noise coming from it.

The first complainant, Mr Kuffour, entered the room and found A1 hiding behind the door.

It was after this incident that the complainants detected that some of their properties were missing.

A1 was arrested and released on police enquiry bail, but unfortunately, went into hiding with her boyfriend, Benjamin, in Tamale.

While in Tamale, the love birds allegedly rented a 3-bedroom apartment at the cost of GH¢105,600 as well as a store at the cost of GH¢120,000.

The police arrested her upon intelligence and on a spot search conducted in their apartment led to the retrieval of US$40,000 and GH¢72, 619.70.

Patience allegedly bought 3-bedroom house at a cost of US$70,000 at Amrahia and furnished it with the following brand new items – a double-decker refrigerator, water dispenser, a television set, washing machine and a chest cooler among others.

She also bought Hyundai Elantra at the cost of GH¢80,000 for Benjamin who also sold it to purchase Honda Civic.

A1 also gave her father GH¢50,000 and GH¢1million to Malik (ex-boyfriend.)

The court heard that A1 implicated Sarah during interrogation that she was her accomplice.

Thus, when they were working together in the complainants’ house, A1 used to keep watch at the main gate to enable Sarah to enter the couple’s room to steal, after which they shared the spoil.

Sarah was arrested at Budumburam and during investigation, it came to light that she used her portion of the stolen money to build 3-bedroom house at where she was arrested.

The case is adjourned to August 2, 2023.

Source: The Chronicle

Ghana's former sanitation minister arrested in corruption probe

 

By:Fraser JACKSON|Camille NEDELEC

A former government minister is investigated for corruption in Ghana. The inquiry comes after Cecilia Abena Dapaah reported her housekeeper for stealing a large sum of money, but prosecutors want to know where the money came from. 

A Conversation with students and alumni of National Union of True Faith Church

 In most churches around the world, students have been at the forefront of trying to find solutions to conflicts and disputes that usually engulf their churches. The Faith Church (Gyidi Church) since its establishment more than nine decades ago has disintegrated into more than 40 sects. The disintegration has become a major concern to both members and non-members. For example, in 2004 Appeal Court judge Justice J. A. Ansah made the following remarks in his ruling of case involving two factions:

‘A church that had enjoyed peace and tranquility during the days of its founder Samuel Brako and his immediate successor Isaac Asirifi, suddenly found itself embroiled in a multi-faceted dispute. The record of proceedings alone spanned four hefty volumes and I wonder where the trial would have been by now had it been conducted and held in an ordinary court where proceedings are manually recorded. When the trial concluded finally hopes were that the parties would accept the verdict in the best of faith and leave matters in the hands of He whom they have known, trusted and believed, but the losing side has launched an appeal against it. Well, they may be exercising their legal rights in a court of law hoping that their cause might be vindicated and justice done to them in accordance with the laws of the land…The bone of contention between the parties was over who should be held the proper General Superintendent of the Church, and also whether or not a faction had seceded from the main Church to found its own, and thirdly whether if there was in fact a secession, the break-away group could maintain ownership of properties of the Church as their own.’

Because of these concerns I have decided to generate a healthy discussion among students of the various denominations who are likely to be future leaders about the roots of conflicts, disputes and schisms and what can be done to avert it. I joined the National Union of True Faith Students (NUTFS) WhatsApp platform on 10 January 2022. Before joining the platform I was told that since its establishment about four years ago, no important and intellectual discussion ever took place and that the platform has been reduced to members only offering birthday wishes to one another. I wanted to revitalise the platform and for members to put their academic acumen to good use. 

On 12 January 2022, I asked the following questions: 1) WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF CONFLICT AMONG MEMBERS OF THE GYIDI DENOMINATIONS; 2) WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE CONFLICT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH; 3) HOW CAN WE END THE CURRENT CONFLICT; 4) HOW CAN WE AVERT FUTURE CONFLICT?

One member by name Kyeimens [Kyei Mensah] wrote: ‘Snr to help me answer your qtns [questions], I need clarity from your #3. What is d [the] current conflict?’

I responded by saying ‘Currently there are ongoing litigations, disputes and associated violence among some of the denominations. About a week ago something serious happened in Bonweri. Loss of life was only averted because of the wise decision by one of the leaders.’

Another member who goes by WhatsApp name Gyidi Asare ‘If Mr Lord would want to define what “Gyidi” means in his question, it will give proper context to what we are talking about.’

I responded by saying that ‘Gyidi means all those denominations that trace their root to Faith Church and those who attend these denominations who call themselves Gyidifo and Gyidini’.

Gyidi Asare responded ‘Ahah!!... so we are talking about a bigger tree...  here , so the context of “Gyidi” is very clear now. I am a TFCI member, and about 90 per cent of people on this platform are TFCI members. So it is good that we now know what *Gyidi* your question means... So that nobody would confuse the definition of Gyidi in the question for TFCI.’

Another member by name Samuel Twum wrote ‘I think you should rather clarify your question to Gyidi you are referring to. It’s an indisputable fact, we all know the divisions that has hit the TFC’. 

I asked Samuel Twum the following question: ‘Is TFC the only GYIDI denomination that has suffered schism?’

Kyeimens [Kyei Mensah] answered ‘Not really, bt [but] it [is] important that we situate the discussion and not enter into generalisation. How do we get value from d [the] discussion wen [when] I begin to tlk [talk] abt [about] New True Faith, Saviour Church and others tlk abt the other denomination. Let's not forget most of us here are TFCI’

Samuel Twum replied Kyei Mensah ‘There are TFCI, TFCE, NTFCI, TFR, TFSC, TFL Etc..Kindly specify which of these you’re referring to so that we don’t end up discussing issues ignorantly’.

I asked Samuel Twum ‘Please which of them do you want to discuss?’ And added ‘We want to understand why there are conflicts in the Gyidi denominations. This suggests that conflict is not peculiar to one denomination. Hence the question:  What are the sources of conflict among members of the Gyidi denominations. Why do we have conflict in almost all the Gyidi denominations? What accounts for the conflict in the Gyidi denominations? We are not limiting ourselves to one denomination. The question is clear. You can select any of the denominations you are familiar with and discuss the sources of its conflict.’

One member by name Philip Mensah who wanted members to focus on the question and discuss it with seriousness and sophistication wrote: ‘That would comprise general information that do not contribute to objective of the study unless you would want to set as control variables.  With Mr. Lord's question, we are all aware that there are divisions in Gyidi, and he has defined Gyidi as not limited to a particular denomination. If could ask if he is referring to inter-denomational conflict or intra.....’

In a reply to Philip Mensah, I wrote ‘I like your last point intra-denominational conflict and inter-denominational conflict. The sources of intra and inter may be different or related. There are two broad types of conflicts 1) Conflict within a particular denomination (intra) e. g. New True Faith Church International. 2) Conflicts between two or more denominations (inter) e.g. Saviour Church-Nyanyano vs Saviour Church-Osiem. Both of them impact on the Gyidi as a brand.’

Gyidi Asare in agreement with Kyeimens wrote ‘Information should be properly channel[led] to the right audience... Of what relevance/value is whatever happening in Saviour church or New True Faith Church offering people on this platform?’

I asked Gyidi Asare ‘Were you at the Konongo Convention in somewhere in 1998? I mean the TFC convention’. 

Gyidi Asare’s answer was ‘I was probably not born, or even a member of TFC...’

I responded to Gyidi Asare by stating that ‘That is why you think what happens in Saviour is of no value to you’.

Gyidi Asare ‘Tell us if you know what the value is?’

This is why I asked Asare whether he was at the Konongo Convention. At the Konongo Convention, members of the town who were pro-NPP decided not to open their homes to the True Faith Church because they had been informed that the Gyidifo were pro-NDC. This forced the leadership of the church to mount large public address system and went through the town to announce that they were not affiliated to any political parties in the country. The announcement therefore convinced the town’s citizens and they offered accommodation to members of the church. Similar thing happened when Faith Salvation Church went to Mampong in Ashanti Region. 

Gyidi Asare wrote again ‘Saviour Church is different from TFCI, and this is a widely known  fact’

I said yes but ‘It is also called Gyidi. Gyidi is a brand whatever happens in one sector can positively or negatively impact on the other sector.’

Gyidi Asare replied ‘I disagree, and I believe many of us here share the same view’.

Kyeimens concurred with Gyidi Asare ‘Well I disagree, thats why we have diff [different] names. We may agree on some believes [beliefs] bt [but] doesn't make us same. He added ‘Mr Adusei what relevance wil such generalised discussions of over 30 sects yield on this platform?’

I responded ‘Your disagreement doesn’t negate the fact that Saviour is also called Gyidi’

Gyidi Asare who by this time appears to have done some google search about me came back with more surprising statements 

Gyidi Asare ‘Your [referring to me] writeups impugn a lot of hiden disdain for anything apart from Savour church (aka the original). So your questions are really grounded on these believes. So I dare say, that you did not come to the table of "discussions" with open mindedness. You came with a clear cut entrenched position. Anyway, maybe I am belabouring the point. (these are pure intellectual discourse, no hard feelings). 

I asked Gyidi Asare ‘Where did I write that “Gyidi nyinaa yɛ pɛ"? Where? In this short minutes you have moved from “Gyidi nyinaa yɛ pɛ” to open minded. You earlier said my question was misplaced. Yet hasn’t attempted to even answer a fraction [of the] 4 questions I put on board.’

One member going by the name Mr. TinTin tagged and replied to my statement ‘Your question was never misplaced’.

Gyidi Asare in a response to my statement wrote ‘there are 110 people here on this platform... and If your question has not raised any engagements beyond 10 people, shouldn't that tell you something?  over generalisation, what happens in any gyidi affects all. Were you at Konongo 1998 hyiamuu etc etc. Saviour mu nsɛm efa me ho bɛn?? New True Faith Church mu nsɛm ɛfa me ho bɛn? Faith Salvation mu asɛm ɛfa me ho bɛn????? [to wit what do matters in Saviour, New True Faith, Faith Salvation concern me?]

Another member by name Emmanuel Darkwa Jr in agreement with Asare added ‘TFCE, NTFCI, TFR, TFSC, TFL Etc..Mu nsem nsem ɛfa me ho bɛn?

Gyidi Asare this time extended his arguments to members of the church on other platforms saying they all talk from their head anyhow ‘On all the other platforms, I bet you have not received these kinds of questions, and they all start talking about the so-called problems, everyone talking from their head anyhow with various audio recordings... Here we put questions to strict value-for-time analysis...’

Kyeimens finally tagged the main question and asked the following ‘Mr Adusei your answer to qtn 3 clearly shows u hade a very fair idea of wat [what] d [the] conflicts are, I also knw [know] for sure u appreciate the source of such conflicts and d solution. So why do u ask qtns [questions] u have answers to?’

Gyidi Asare quickly replied Kyeimens ‘To educate us??’

Kyeimens replied to Gyidi Asare ‘Well maybe open mindedness or impugned to be less diabolic’

To be continued…

The Gyidi Church History: Opanin Isaac Kwadwo Asirifi aka Dadeako

Opanin Isaac Kwadwo Asirifi known popularly in the Gyidi Church as Dadeako was born to Opanin Kwame Appiah and Madam Mary Yaa Henewaa. In 1958, Emeritus Professor C. G. Baeta went to Osiem to interview Opanin Asirifi. In the interview, Opanin Asirifi told Baeta that he was 40 years old [1]. Prof Kofi Asare Opoku also notes that Dadeako was born in 1918 which is in tandem with Baeta’s assertions [2]. However, according to Kwasi Boateng and Nicholas Adom, both members of the Saviour Church, the man of God was born in 1912 [3]. When Opanin Asirifi died in 1997, the obituary read that he was 85 years suggesting that he was born in 1912.

When Opanin Asirifi was in his teen years he was sent to Gyakiti near Akwamufie for apprenticeship and he specialised as a blacksmith. After three years in Gyakiti, he went to Kumasi to continue to professionalise his skills. In 1933, he joined the Gyidi Church (Faith Church) which was flourishing under the leadership of Opanin Samuel Brako. Dadeako became Brako’s Bible reader or “kenkani” in the Akan parlance. He became very close to Samuel Brako. Brako sent him on many errands including conducting service on his behalf. Samuel Brako prayed for Dadeako and God anointed him with the power of the Holy Spirit, as a result Dadeako became a very powerful prophet in the church. He had the gift of exorcism meaning he could cast demons. 

Dadeako lived with Samuel Brako for years until he married his first wife Maame Botwe. Few years later, he married his second wife by name Maame Ashia. Around the mid-1940s, Samuel Brako died and some of his aides including Opanin Asirifi wanted to succeed him. There was therefore a power struggle between Dadeako and some of the leaders in Kwahu, Asante and Akuapim. Efforts were made at the Kukuom Convention to resolve the leadership crisis but there was no agreement. At the Obogu Convention, the succession batte re-surfaced. The other leaders said they would not allow Dadeako to lead the church because he had two wives. The misunderstanding was not resolved and the church split into two with Dadeako leading one of the factions.

Dadeako returned to Osiem and named his faction as Saviour Church which continued to use Osiem as the headquarters. The other faction led by Opanin Yaw Dankwa, Abraham Nsiah and Emmanuel Obeng became known as True Faith Church with Kwahu Praso as its headquarters. Both factions call themselves Gyidi.

Dadeako was backed by several leaders and members in Akyem, Fante and Asante. They included John Kwaku Badu brother of Samuel Brako, Prophet Peter Mensah  aka Obotan of Kumawu, Pastor Stephen Doughan of Gomoa Fetteh and Opanin Stephen Yaw Atta of Agogo. Dadeako was also supported by several of the prophets in Osiem including Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel son of Samuel Brako and Nana Kwasi Gyan.

Dadeako set about building the church. He oversaw the expansion of the church to every part of Southern Ghana. Indeed, through his energetic leadership, several branches of Saviour Church were opened across the country including Subriso, Nnadieso, Nkawnkaw, Accra, Kumasi etc. 

His prophetic work continued and this made him a revered figure in the church. Many people with several spiritual, social and economic problems came to him and their problems were addressed. Because of this prolific prophetic power, many people began to call him Dadeako, particularly since the early 1980s. Today, many of the youth even think that Dadeako was his real name but it was a title or an accolade given to him by members of the church. 

Opanin Asirifi also set about developing the church’s infrastructure at Osiem. For example, he initiated the building of a new house of God project at Osiem and got it completed. He constructed a large platform that was cemented with durable materials. The platform became the avenue for the church’s convention. Road was constructed from the main Osiem-Bunso Road to the mission. He got the whole mission from Maame Akosua Kobua’s house to the new house of God cemented. He worked tirelessly with the leadership of the Osiem community and brought electricity to Osiem and ensured that most of the houses were connected to the grid. In the 1990s, he constructed boreholes in the mission and made water available to everyone. 

He encouraged the branches of the church to go into farming, as a consequence theft and other crimes were absent in the church. Under his leadership, some changes were made to the liturgy of the church. For example, in the 1970s, new musical instruments were introduced that changed the nature of the church’s songs. 

Elder Asirifi died on 12 November 1997 at Nkoranza and was brought to Osiem for burial. He left behind about 50 children and about 150 grandchildren.  His death in 1997, led to a power struggle between his son Prophet Elijah Kofi Asante and Opanin Abraham Kwaku Adusei leading to a split of the church into two. 

Notes

1] Baeta, С. G. 1962. Prophetism in Ghana. A Study of some ‘Spiritual’ churches. London, S.C.M. Press, p. 66

2] Opoku, K. A. 1970. A Directory of Spiritual Churches in Ghana. Research Review (Legon) 7, pp. 98-115.

[3] Boateng, K. and Addo, N. not dated. Saviour Church of Ghana: Organisation and Spread, p. 4.

Written by Lord Adusei

The Gyidi Church History: Who was Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel?

Last week, when I wrote a short piece about my great grandfather Samuel Brako the founder of the Gyidi Church, I was asked about Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel and what relations he had with Samuel Brako. I was also asked about the relationship between Prophet Emmanuel and Opanin Abraham Kwaku Adusei, the General Superintendent of (the) Saviour Church of Ghana. In this short article I answer both questions. 

Prophet Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum (popularly called Agyaaku by members of the church and Paaku by his siblings) was the fourth child of Mary Akosua Gyamfuah and Samuel Kwame Brako the founder of the Gyidi Church. Samuel Brako and Gyamfuah had 11 children. The first one was Boatemaa who died when she was still a baby. The couples had another daughter whom they named Sarah Akua Konadu (popularly called Awoyaa). Then they had another daughter whom they called Akua Mansa Adutwumwaa. Next they gave birth to a fourth child who was a boy and they named him Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum. Emmanuel was named after Samuel Brako’s maternal uncle Kwasi Addae Adutwum, hence he was called Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum.

The birth of Kwaku Emmanuel was foretold through a prophecy. The prophecy came to Samuel Brako that he would give birth to a son who would be a renowned prophet and a man of God. Not long after the prophecy, Mary Gyamfuah conceived and gave birth to Emmanuel. Before Emmanuel was born, there were very few prophets in the Gyidi Church, but 90 days after his birth he was sent to church for christening. During his christening, the Holy Spirit fell on almost all those who had gathered and from there the number of prophets increased considerably in the church. 

Prophet Emmanuel started his prophetic ministry at a very young age. When he was just eight years old, he performed his first miracle by resurrecting a dead person at Osiem. He continued in the prophetic ministry until his father died. After the death of Samuel Brako in mid-1940s, there was a power struggle between some of his aides especially Opanin Isaac Kwadwo Asirifi on one hand and Opanin Barnabas Yaw Dankwa, Abraham Nsiah and Emmanuel Obeng on the other hand. There was attempt to resolve the matter at Kukuom which during colonial time was part of Ashanti but they could not reach any amicable conclusion. During a convention at Obogu in Asante Akyem, the leadership succession matter came up again but they could not reach a final agreement and the church split into two. Opanin Asirifi’s faction became known as Saviour Church while Elders Dankwa, Nsiah and Obeng’s faction became known as True Faith Church. 

Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel joined Opanin Isaac Asirifi and both men teamed up to work together. Between 1949 and 1959, Saviour Church expanded to several parts of the country. Emmanuel as a prolific prophet became the centre of the prophetic ministry in the church. In 1958, Emmanuel and Prophet Peter Mensah (Obotan) of Kumawu resurrected a woman by name Madam Yaa Manu at Kumawu Abotanso. However, Emmanuel and Isaac fell out and Emmanuel left Saviour Church but he did not join True Faith Church straight away. Because Samuel Brako originally came from Juaben in Ashanti, Emmanuel moved and lived at Nkyiripoaso near Juaben and did not seek to join the church until in 1980 when God sent Prophet Elijah Amaning of Besoro near Kumawu to inform Emmanuel to join True Faith Church. He joined True Faith Church and continued his prophetic ministry. 

In 1986 he joined Opanin Abraham Kwabena Nsiah of Asamang when he set up Faith Salvation Church. In 1988, he left Faith Salvation Church and formed United Faith Church but rejoined True Faith Church later on. Many people inside and outside Ghana heard of Emmanuel’s powerful prophetic work and they visited him at Bethel near Nkyiripuaso where Samuel Brako had established a cocoa farm. He continued to work until he died on 22 November 2013. He is considered one of the greatest prophets ever to emerge in the entire Gyidi Church. The miracles he performed are recounted in an upcoming book. 

Who is Opanin Abraham Adusei to Emmanuel Kwaku Adutwum?

Opanin Samuel Brako had several brothers. One of them was Opanin John Kwaku Badu (popularly called Akokora Badu or Nana Badu). In fact, Opanin John Kwaku Badu was the youngest brother of Samuel Brako. Opanin John Kwaku Badu and his lovely wife Madam Sarah Adwoa Oforiwaa gave birth to Opanin Abraham Adusei the current leader of The Saviour Church of Ghana. Therefore, Samuel Brako is Opanin Abraham Adusei’s uncle. As stated above Samuel Brako gave birth to Kwaku Emmanuel and Brako’s brother Nana Badu gave birth to Adusei. Therefore, Pastor Abraham Kwaku Adusei and Prophet Kwaku Emmanuel are cousins.

Written by Lord Adusei