Eastern View Ghana Conference, formerly part of East Ghana Conference, belongs to the Southern Ghana Union Conference in the West-Central Africa Division. Eastern View Ghana Conference was organized in 2017 and occupies the following territories: northern part of Eastern region; politically, it covers part of Fanteakwa and east Akim districts to the south, Atiwa, Kwahu West, and Kwahu North (Afram Plains) districts. The conference shares common boundaries with Tafo, Begoro, and Suhum districts to the south; Ayirebi and Kade districts to the west; and Juaso and Agogo districts to the north.
As of June 30, 2018, Eastern View Ghana Conference had 72 churches, membership of 12,272, and general population of 900,828. Eastern View Ghana Conference is located in Nkawkaw-Eastern region in Ghana.
History
The Adventist Church started in the Kwahu area at Atibie in 1954. Sometime that year a group of Adventist missionaries led by Opanyin F.K. Adusei from Kumasi in the Ashanti region organized a two-week crusade at the Atibie Palace outer court and started a church with 30 members. Names of the 30 members are: Charles Kwabena Odame, Mary Dankwah, Michael Ofori Mensah, Elizabeth, Oforiwa Oppong, Simon Karikari, Comfort Ansong, Eunice Obeng, Samuel Kofi Afrim, Solomon Osei, Enoch Osei, Paul Asiedu, Esther A. Yeboah, Joseph Mensah, Rebecca Dankyiraa, Samuel Kofi Effah, Felicia Agyampomaa, Maxwell Gyimah, Judith Buabeng, Salomay Agyeiwaa, Mary Tutuah, Comfort Mirekua, Mary Antwiwaa, Mary Odame, Dora Tonasi, Edmond Ankamah, Jerry Ankamah, Jacob Asiedu, Eric Ofosu, and Comfort Peprah.
The meetings were sometimes held in the home of Opanin Samuel Kofi Effah and sometimes held under a tree. Later they worshiped in an old building near Odwenanoma Road. There was an Adventist teacher named
Teacher Peprah at Nkwatia who became the leader of the church.
Dr. John Ashford Hyde was brought from Nigeria to work as a medical doctor in the Adventist hospital at Atibie. He helped the church to grow. There were many ups and downs but, by the grace of God, they survived the sorrows because they knew God would see them through.
Dr. Hyde was replaced by Pastor W. D. Marshal in 1960. In February 1960, they began clearing ground for the first church building. Pastor Marshal initiated the church building. He was assisted by Pastor Dwomoh, a Ghanaian minister, in the chaplaincy department of the hospital.
Living pioneers of Atibie church are Opanyin Charles Kwabena Odame and Micheal Ofori. From this small beginning the church embarked on evangelistic campaigns and opened churches in the nearby towns of Abetifi, Nkwatia, Obomeng, and Obo.
Nkawkaw Adventist Church started in 1960 under the leadership of Opanyin S. Y. Mensah from Obomeng-Kwahu. He was a Seventh-day Adventist who came to establish a sawmill at Nkawkaw. The church was active in outreach, and God blessed their efforts. The following people joined the church: R. A. Kissi, Joshua Owusu, Samuel Sono, N. O. Asante, Owusu Sekyere, Madam Dora Asaa, Madam Kissi, and Sarah Oware.
The Lord moved the heart of Opanyin S. Y. Mensah to open up his house in Nkawkaw Railways as a meeting place for this new body of believers. They appointed Opanyin S. Y. Mensah as the leader of the church in the same year.
From this small beginning at Nkawkaw, the church embarked on evangelistic campaigns and opened churches in the nearby towns such as Tiawia, Abepotia, Jejeti, Oframase, and Bepong.
The Central Ghana Conference carved out Nkawkaw district from Koforidua district in 1963. The Nkawkaw district covered Nkawkaw, Beposo, Afram plains, Anyinam, Osino, and Kwabeng areas. Currently these towns are district headquarters.
The first camp meeting was held at Nkawkaw (Ofori Park) under the leadership of Pastor M. E. Ampate.
In 1999, East Ghana Conference was created and Nkawkaw district became part of the East Ghana Conference.
The decision to reorganize the East Ghana Conference into three fields came as a result of an elders meeting held at Kukurantumi Multipurpose Camp Site on January 2-4, 2015. At the close of the meeting it was voted to add two fields to the East Ghana Conference; hence the creation of Eastern View Ghana Administrative Unit (EVGAU). In all, 200 elders were in attendance.
The EVGAU is located at the northern part of the Eastern region. Politically, the field covers part of Fanteakwa and East Akim districts to the south. It also covers the whole of Atiwa, Kwahu West, and Kwahu North (Afram Plains) districts. The EVGAU office is located at Domeabra-Nkawkaw.
The field had 20 workers with Pastor I. F Boateng as president, Pastor Peter Mfum Kofi Arthur as executive secretary, and Elder Emmanuel Paa Kwesi Quainoo as treasurer.
On October 22, 2015, the Southern Ghana Union Conference officially voted to allow EVGAU to begin operation.
A commencement service was held on February 20, 2016, to officially introduce officers, coordinating committee members, pastors, and workers to the members of the field.
Administrative Unit to Conference Status
The Eastern View Administrative Unit worked together with the Southern Ghana Union Conference officers, the East Ghana Conference officers, and the entire membership. Two inspection teams from the Southern Ghana Union Conference were formed to ascertain the preparedness for attainment of conference status. The final inspection team was made up of personnel from the West-Central Africa Division (WAD) headed by the executive secretary Dr. Kingsley Ananoba, and the SGUC team led by Dr. Chris Annan Nunoo, executive secretary. The final inspection was on September 17, 2016. The final approval was voted at the West-Central Africa Division yearend meeting held November 3, 2016, to organize the field as a conference in 2017.
On March 1-5, 2017, the conference held a session to elect the officers to lead the conference. At the end of the session, the following officers were elected for a four-year term:
Peter Kofi Mfum Arthur, president (2017-present),
Collins Kyei Konadu Yiadom, executive secretary (2017-present),
Emmanuel Paa Kwesi Quainoo, treasurer (2017-present).