The Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Bishop of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate in the Kwahu Afram Plains, Eastern Region of Ghana, has decried the deplorable living conditions of the inhabitants of Afram Plains and encouraged his Priests, Religious and Laity to remain faithful to their commitment, despite the enormous challenges they face on the terrain.
“We could get scared, discouraged, and may want to turn back and walk away because of the enormity of the problems and challenges. But He who has called us to be partners with him is our Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness. He loves us and has freed us from our sins; sins which can cause greater damage to our persons and cut us off from God, our source of life,” he encouraged.
He made the appeal during the April 16, 2025, Chrism Mass at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, during which the Priests renewed their commitment, and the oils of Chrism, consecrated, and the oils of Catechumen and the Sick were blessed.
Reflecting on Jesus’ personal preference for the poor, the captives, the blind, the oppressed and people in various kinds of need at the very beginning of his public ministry, the Bishop termed the people of Afram Plains as “forsaken people,” who can only place their hope in God, because He is the only one who can attend to their need, and in Him, “the acceptable time of favour has come for all the forgotten people,” he said.
“Jesus addresses us, the forgotten people of Kwahu Afram Plains, through the Gospel reading, and makes clear his special and personal preference for us. It is the Lord who has placed us here, and he will take care of us. The Lord assures us, he is our hope and our salvation,” he encouraged.
Bishop Asiedu observed that the people in Kwahu Afram Plains, and for that matter the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, had been forsaken because of the many hardships and deprivations they face.
“We feel left out and abandoned when occasionally the lives of our people are in danger from the breakdown of the pontoon on the Volta Lake and compel passengers to be helplessly carried away on a compulsory, death expedition by fierce storm, for several hours, if not days.
According to the prelate, passengers travelling from Agordeke to Kpando Torkor, for over a month now, have been exposed to the risk of crossing the lake by engine boat, because the only “pontoon” (ferry) that transports persons, goods and cars across the lake had broken down.
The Chief Shepherd also lamented on the routine feeling of restlessness and discomfort with which passengers often had to wait on either side of the Afram River to catch the pontoon, saying, “There are always uncertainties associated with travelling in our part of the country.”
He further bemoaned the poor and miserable living and working conditions endured by the few civil servants, who with great sacrifice and fervent spirit of voluntarism have accepted to serve in Kwahu Afram Plains.
“It is no secret that we in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom are disadvantaged on many fronts,” he continued, recounting that in terms of socio-economic and infrastructural development, Kwahu Afram Plains seems to have no share of the national cake, and they lack some essential amenities for sustaining livelihood.
The Local Ordinary regretted the lack of requisite specialised human resources among the priests, consecrated persons and the laity, to push forward the mission and evangelisation agenda of the local church. He also bemoaned inadequate pastoral agents and a low or complete lack of motivation for the few “team players” who have accepted to be in the Afram Plains and help.
Other challenges he pointed out were inadequate or a general lack of some basic logistics to enhance the work and apostolate of the Pastoral agents, coupled with the several difficulties they encounter when travelling across both the Afram River and the Volta Lake with the pontoon.
The reluctance and oftentimes refusal of some people to heed the call of God to be part of the team of disciples with the Lord was yet another impediment to the pastoral ministry, as noted by the bishop.
He urged the Priests, Religious and Lay, to stay faithful, amidst their difficulties, for it is God who gives them grace and peace for their life and ministry, and it is He who promises them “a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit” he alluded.
“These are our hope; the hope we strive to achieve through our collaborative efforts as a synodal Church. Let no one excuse himself or herself; none of us should be left behind. Every one of you is valued, loved, respected and appreciated for who you are, and for your contribution to the building up of our young local Church, the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom,” he encouraged.
His Lordship further challenged his co-workers in the Lord’s vineyard to stand up to their tasks in the mission of Christ, which they are called to share. They have been anointed, like Christ, through baptism, as consecrated persons, and or by their priestly anointing, by which they possess the Spirit of the Lord God.
“We are the vehicle, the instruments, the channels by which Christ is to realise his mission of preaching the Good News to the poor, proclaiming release to the captives, giving recovery of sight to the blind, setting at liberty those who are oppressed and proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord,” he reminded.
“Jesus achieves his mission in and through us with the various ministries and apostolates he has assigned each one of us according to our vocations. You engage yourself in your work, ministry or apostolate, mindful of the fact that the Spirit of the Lord God is upon you. He has anointed you, and so he is your strength, your guide and your motivation”.
“May this holy Jubilee year 2025 see all of us, bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and laity alike, more faithful to God in our specific calling, and committed to our ministry,” he prayed.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate)
