Methodist Church Ghana Presiding Bishop calls for national development through skills and experience

The Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu, has called for greater recognition of people’s skills, knowledge and experience in national development, urging successive governments to prioritise continuity over partisan considerations.

The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu said Ghana risked losing valuable expertise when changes in government resulted in the removal of experienced individuals from leadership positions in state institutions.

The Presiding Bishop made the remarks during a press briefing following the induction of Bro Alfred Sakyi as the 10th Lay President of The Methodist Church Ghana at St Paul’s Cathedral in Tema on October 10, 2026.

The Presiding Bishop described the induction as an important moment for the Church and urged the newly inducted Lay President to use his professional experience and God-given abilities in serving the Church.

Bro Alfred Sakyi, a retired banker, was elected in August 2026 to succeed the outgoing Lay President, Bro Kwesi Atta-Antwi, an entrepreneur. The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu noted that lay leaders brought valuable experience from the business and professional world to support the work of the Church.

The Presiding Bishop said his charge to Bro Sakyi was to lead according to the grace given to him, explaining that this included the knowledge, abilities, talents and gifts that individuals could use to serve others.

The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu also stressed that the clergy and lay leadership were not in competition but complemented each other in advancing the mission of the Church.

Drawing lessons from Acts chapter six of the Bible, the Presiding Bishop explained that the appointment of individuals to oversee the distribution of food to widows demonstrated the importance of recognising different gifts and assigning responsibilities according to people’s abilities.

The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu said the biblical account offered an important lesson for Ghana, where people with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience should be given opportunities to contribute to national development.

The Presiding Bishop expressed concern about the tendency for successive governments to replace experienced managers of state enterprises and board chairpersons following changes in political leadership.

The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu acknowledged that governments needed trusted individuals to implement their policies but argued that removing experienced personnel across state institutions could lead to the loss of valuable institutional knowledge and expertise.

The Presiding Bishop maintained that national development required continuity, with successive governments building on existing experience rather than discarding it whenever political power changed hands.

The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu urged the country to adopt an approach that recognises people’s abilities and empowers them to contribute meaningfully to national development.

The Presiding Bishop expressed hope that the country would learn from the principle highlighted during the induction service: that every individual has a role to play in building the nation through their skills, knowledge and God-given gifts.