Features
Don’t underrate usefulness of coconut – Ellembelle DCE
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• Mr Kwasi Bonzo addressing the gathering
District Chief Executive of Ellembelle in the Western Region, Mr Kwasi Bonzo, has described coconut as ‘the tree of life’, arguing that, Ghana needs to take the potentials of the crop seriously to address her present economic challenges.
He said: “We should remind ourselves that the future of this country is not with oil and gas. We underrate the usefulness of coconut which currently is called the tree of life or the tree of wealth. Others call it heaven’s supermarket because every part of coconut from the roots to the branch is useful, the most useful tree crop in the world is coconut.”
Mr Bonzo said these at the launch of the 2nd International Coconut Festival at Alabokazo in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region last Friday.
He stressed: “If there is any non- traditional tree crop that has export potentials it is coconut.
“Recently, with the discovery and production of oil and gas, it looks as if all our attention has been diverted towards that sector but let us not forget that oil is a finite product. It won’t last forever, the maximum lifespan for the well is 25 to 30 years.”
Mr Bonzo noted that, coconut and agriculture, generally, had been part of the Western Region, therefore, more attention and investment should be given to a sector capable of earning more foreign exchange, propel the economy and ensure sustainable development.
The DCE told the participants that the present location of the event was previously populated by coconut, however, over the last 50 years, Ghana has lost over 80 per cent of its coconut vegetation through the Cape St. Paul’s Wilts Disease.
Recently, Mr Bonzo disclosed that Ghana Statistical Services (GSS) reported that food price inflation in the Western Region had moved beyond 40 per cent and asked “Why should you be in Western Region with natural vegetation capable of producing every food item and be struggling to buy food?”
“We are currently struggling but the future is agriculture. Basically we are an agrarian economy. If we pay attention to coconut and get a little over 100,000 hectares of coconut under production, we should be able to save a lot of our crises,” he added.
On the usefulness of coconut, he indicated that, the husk and the shelf of the crop, could save mining companies in the Western Region from importing millions of dollars of activated carbon for processing gold and cushion the forex markets.
Mr Bonzo continued “The sector that requires the maximum use of science and technology is agriculture, we need to train producers. Farming should become a profession dedicated to people in a sector that needs a lot of skills . As a nation, we want to ask ourselves, are we getting our priorities right? Why should we be in Ghana and be importing food from other countries?”
From Clement Adzei Boye, Alabokazo
On Sunday, August 13, 2026, the Church of Pentecost (COP) International, Finland, held an impressive church service in Helsinki in honour of and to welcome Prophet Benjamin Arthur as the new National Head.
The well-attended service formally ushered in Prophet Arthur who takes over from Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah, who has been the National Head since November 2020 and whose tenure as the National Head ended last month.
Prophet Arthur arrived in Finland from the UK where he has held many positions in the church to replace Apostle Owusu Kwaah who moves back to the UK.
A touching welcome and powerful ministration
The church service was officiated by Apostle Seth Samuel Asante, the National Head of the Church of Pentecost, USA.
It was a touching welcome church service and ministration at a well-attended event. In attendance were many religious leaders from other churches or missions, as well as dignitaries.
Apostle Asante had the honour to introduce Prophet Arthur to the whole congregation as the new National Head in Finland. He was joined by other church leaders and officers from UK, USA, and Finland to pray for Prophet Arthur and handed him over to COP Finland as their new National Head to a huge applause.
Earlier, Apostle Asante delivered a powerful and touching sermon that highlighted a message of salvation and the importance of knowing, loving and serving God with one’s whole heart. He entreated the audience to love God and do His work to glorify his name.
Stirring up understandings from the hymns: “My faith has found a resting place…” and “Guide me O Thou great Jehovah…,” as well as a number of quotations from the Bible, the Apostle gave a powerful preaching on the need to build one’s faith in God.
Response from the new National Head
In response, Prophet Benjamin Arthur preached the power of prophecies and God’s plan for redemption. He entreated all to believe in God’s power especially through prophecies to save mankind. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, he noted and add: “The blood of Jesus is not shed in vain”.
Surrounded by his beloved wife, Mrs Eugenia Arthur, and their three children, Prophet Arthur expressed gratitude to the members of the church for the resounding welcome they have accorded him as he starts to embark on his role and duty as the National Head.
He recognised the exploits and excellent leadership roles of his predecessors, Apostle Edmund Appiah (who was the first National Head) and Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah.
COP’s future and growth in Finland
The Church of Pentecost in Finland was established over 25 years ago. It started in September 2000 as a prayer group with a small number of devoted persons in Helsinki (see www.copfinland.fi).
The group grew fast and there was the need to secure a new place of worship in the Helsinki area. The Church has grown and spread to other towns and cities in Finland.
Today, in Helsinki alone there are two branches of the Church. There is the Akan Assembly where worship is done mostly in the Twi language. The other branch is the English Assembly (or the PIWC) which is attended by other nationalities and African immigrants aside Ghanaian immigrants.
The COP Finland has become very formidable in the religious space in the Ghanaian community in Finland.
It has thus played a prominent role in the religious or spiritual existence of its members, as well as in people’s social lives as a key aspect of integration into the Finnish society.
The church continues to grow and, for example, it has been one of the major channels through which the Ghana Union Finland (GUF), an association for Ghanaian immigrants in Finland, has made more contacts with members of the Ghanaian immigrant community.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
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Features
Responding to religious insults with faith, wisdom and restraint …The Prophetic Model for Muslim–Christian Peace and Coexistence(Part 1)
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and from our evil deeds.
May His Peace and Blessings be Upon the Noble Prophet Mohammed, his household, companions and all righteous people till the Last Day. Ameen
GHANA, WE MUST NOT ALLOW A MOMENT OF ANGER TO DESTROY DECADES OF PEACE
My dear brothers and sisters in Ghana.
Today I speak about something that should concern every Muslim, every Christian and every responsible Ghanaian.
Recent events involving controversial statements about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the arrest of an Islamic cleric accused of making statements advocating violence, and the arrest of a Christian preacher over alleged derogatory comments concerning the Prophet (pbuh) have generated considerable national concern. The Ghana Police Service has said the matters are under investigation and that due process will apply.
And now, reports of an alleged assault on a detained pastor have added another troubling dimension to the matter.
Let us be very clear:
Ghana is not at war.
Muslims are not at war with Christians.
2 | P a g e
Christians are not at war with Muslims.
For generations, we have lived together, traded together, worked together, attended the same schools, built communities together and, in many Ghanaian families, even married across religious lines.
Therefore, we must not allow the reckless words or actions of a few individuals to destroy the peace built by generations.
WHEN SOMEONE INSULTS THE PROPHET (PBUH), WHAT DOES ISLAM EXPECT
FROM ME?
This is the question we must answer.
Not: “How angry am I?”
But: “What does Allah require from me?”
Not: “What can I do to my enemy?”
But: “What did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) do when his enemies hurt him?”
This distinction is crucial.
Islam does not teach us to abandon our faith when we are provoked.
Islam teaches us how to behave because we have faith.
Allah says:
“Do not let the hatred of a people cause you to depart from justice. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” (Qur’an 5:8).
Notice the greatness of Islam.
Allah does not say, “Be just when people respect you.”
He says, be just even when you hate what they have done.
Therefore: An insult does not give me permission to become unjust.
The author is the Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governance Expert
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai
