Ghanaian Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, the Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, has lamented the constant migration of youths from the Vicariate to urban centres in search of education and a better life.
“This poses a big challenge to the leadership of youth groups in the Vicariate,” he said in welcome address to the Youth representatives of the Accra Province and their respective Chaplains during their 24th Zonal Study meeting at Alphonse Merton’s Centre, Donkorkrom on February 23, 2024.
Attributing the rural-urban migration of the youths to the deprived and underdeveloped nature of Donkorkrom, the Bishop said “The whole of the Vicariate which comprises the two Districts of North and South Afram Plains is very deprived and underdeveloped socio-economically, and due to that, very often, you find the youths migrating into the urban centres in search of education and a better life”.
This, he noted “makes it very difficult to get youths to assume the leadership role of our Vicariate”.
Bishop Asiedu who is a member of the Society of Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) underpinned the poor socio-economic infrastructure of Donkorkrom with what he ironically termed ‘expert roads’ which sometimes make movements very difficult.
The Afram Plains can be reached through two main routes: Ekye Amanfro or Kpando Torkor, both by water-crossing. There is however a mainland road through Maame Krobo-Agogu which is not very motorable especially in the rainy season.
It is also very isolated with not so many settlements on the road, which makes it also a bit dangerous. Donkorkrom is bounded by three main rivers: the Volta, the Afram and the Obosum Rivers, which according to his Lordship should cater for any water crises in Donkorkrom. Unfortunately, most inhabitants still suffer water crisis.
The depravity of the Afram Plains remains a major concern for the Bishop as it continues to have an adverse effect on the youth population who are the future of tomorrow.
Bishop Asiedu, therefore, prayed that the government would one day remember the people of Donkorkrom by making the effort to address the issues pushing youths out of the Afram Plains.
The youth representatives from the Archdiocese of Accra, the Dioceses of Koforidua, Keta Akatchi, Ho, Jasikan and the Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate, which make up the Accra Catholic Province were privileged to be given a brief history about the Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate by the Bishop.
Donkorkrom was formerly under the Accra Archdiocese, until when Koforidua which was also formerly under Accra was carved out in 2007. It came under Koforidua Diocese, and in 2013, it was carved out as the Apostolic Prefecture of Donkorkrom giving it some kind of autonomy from the Koforidua Diocese.
Accra Archdiocese gave birth to Koforidua diocese which later on gave birth to the Apostolic Prefecture of Donkorkrom, which is now a Vicariate.
Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate has eight Parishes on the mainland and one island mission which is also considered a Parish for the island Stations.
The mainland Parishes include: Ekye Amanfro, Fori Fori, Maame Krobo, Tease, Samenhyia, Donkorkrom, Amankwakrom and Mary Mother of God Parish, Adeemra, which for a very long time was the lone Parish in the whole of Afram Plains with only one Priest to take care of all the Stations, until it later gave birth to all the other parishes enlisted above.
Fr. Alphonse Merton, SVD of blessed memory was one time the Parish Priest of Adeemra and he foresaw that Donkorkrom being the District Capital had a potential for growth and expansion.
As at then, Donkorkrom was a very small community under Adeemra Parish, so he began some development work there, the fruit of which is the Alphonse Merton Training Centre which is today hosting the Provincial Youths and has become the Vicariate’s main training centre.
The Vicariate has at the moment 17 Priests- eight Diocesans, seven Divine Word Missionaries and two Spiritans.
There are also a number of Women Religious Congregations, namely: Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit (SSPS), Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary (MSHR), Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC) and Handmaids of the Divine Redeemer (HDR).
Health wise, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate has 2 Health Centres: Hoy Spirit Poly Clinic at Kwesi Fante and Holy Rosary Health Centre at Amankwakrom.
In terms of Education, there are a number of Catholic Basic Public Schools in Donkorkrom with only 2 Private-Catholic Basic Schools: St. Joseph School, Maame Krobo and Mater Ecclesia at Kwaekese.
There are two Second Cycle Public-Catholic Schools in the Vicariate: St. Fidelis Senior High Technical College at Tease and St. Mary’s Vocational Technical College, Adeemra.
