The annual legal consultation must lead to real improvements in the church’s systems, structures and stewardship, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye has said to the Church’s legal advisors.
Speaking at the 6th Annual Legal Consultation at the Presbyterian Women’s Centre, Abokobi, on Wednesday, the Moderator reminded lawyers of the church that their work must strengthen the church’s mission and protect the heritage entrusted to them. He stressed that the consultation “must make the church better,” adding that its value will be measured by the changes it produces. He challenged the lawyers not to allow the meeting to become a routine exercise.
“Let this not become merely an annual meeting at which we report the same problems under different case numbers,” he said. He urged participants to recommend solutions to recurring issues, correct weaknesses in administrative systems, and identify areas where Presbytery Legal Advisors require additional support.
The Moderator also encouraged the team to be bold in proposing new strategies for difficult cases and to consider alternative dispute resolution where appropriate. “If a dispute can properly be resolved without another five years in court, let us consider that possibility,” he advised.
At the same time, he emphasised that where the church’s rights and property genuinely require firm protection, such protection must be pursued “diligently and professionally.”
Turning to the church’s theme, he reminded the lawyers that all their work must be rooted in Christ. He noted that the Apostle Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 3:11 calls the church to build on Christ as the only true foundation. “Our institutions, our structures, our property and even our heritage have meaning only to the extent that they serve the mission of Christ,” he said.
The Moderator highlighted the importance of inheritance and responsibility, noting that the church’s forebears acquired land and built institutions through sacrifice. He described land as “part of the infrastructure of mission,” explaining that more than 90 percent of the church’s court cases relate to land. He said this should concern the church because behind each case lies the question of whether assets acquired for God’s work will remain available for that work.
He outlined the responsibilities of each generation in land management; acquisition, documentation, registration, protection against encroachment, defending title in court, and putting land to productive use. “That is what it means to build on foundations already laid,” he said.
The Moderator also reminded participants of the constitutional role of the Registered Trustees; comprising the Moderator, Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbytery Chairpersons and the Property Manager, who hold church property in trust. He noted that reports from the consultation inform decisions at the General Assembly Council and guide the Trustees in protecting the Church’s assets.
Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye urged the legal advisors to act as faithful stewards of the heritage left by earlier generations. “This consultation is a continuation of the act of building on the foundations already laid,” he said. “Through your deliberations and subsequent work for the church, continue to act as good stewards of the heritage left behind by our forebears.”
By Jerome Otchere
