Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ghana have marked 100 years of promoting and propagating the good news of God's Kingdom across the length and breadth of Ghana, under the theme, 100 Years of Faith in Action —Positively Impacting Communities at their Very Core.
The event, which was held at the Headquarters at Nungua, in the Greater Accra region, brought together both local and international members of the church as well as guests within the country to reflect on the centenary long impact of the church on the nation at large.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have a rich history in Ghana. It all started when Claude Brown, a West Indies missionary, travelled to the Gold Coast in 1924 to share the message of God’s word with the people there.
The encounter of Claude Brown with the people led to the beautiful beginning of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Gold Coast, now Ghana. The early days of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ghana was met with curiosity and skepticism, but also with openness to learning.
Bible Student, Claude Brown’s first lecture, “Where Are The Dead?", captured the attention of persons who were present at the meeting. This lecture, delivered spectacularly by Claude Brown sparked a fire of faith and hope in the hearts of many people who wanted to know the right and acceptable way to worship God.
The new converts decided to be baptized and became part of the International Bible Students Association, as the Witnesses were then known until 1931. Notable amongst the first group to get baptized was Eddy Addo, who began to spread the Bible education message of Jehovah's Witnesses across Ghana.
Claude Brown's lectures and literature distribution sparked a chain reaction that propelled the Bible’s message across the country of Ghana.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have impacted various sectors of the society including education, morality, health, environmental protection and conservation, peace building and the responsible exercising of human rights.
Environmental Protection and Preservation
Applying the biblical principle of stewardship, Jehovah’s Witnesses have instilled in their members the need to protect the environment by taking care of the very things that are needed to live a healthy life—air, land and water.
At the Headquarters in Accra, guests were taken through practical application of biblical principles which included the protection of the environment by recycling waste products, treating sewage waters before depositing them into the sea, etc.
Improved Literacy
Over the years, Jehovah's Witnesses have continued to grow and establish themselves in Ghana through educating their members and others to become literate. They have translated the Bible and other publications into 14 local languages, including Twi, Ewe, and Ga which enables the members to learn how to read and write. Today, Jehovah's Witnesses in Ghana are known for their active community service, disaster relief efforts, and the door-to-door ministry.
Today, there are over 150,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Ghana.
Healthcare Education and Information:
Through the presence of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ghana, there has been improved awareness of the benefits and effectiveness of bloodless medical treatment.
Informed clinicians are gradually shifting from the sole choice of allogeneic blood transfusion to non-blood medical procedures. The Witnesses provide all this information to clinicians across the country free of charge.
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding:
Jehovah's Witnesses in Ghana have made a significant impact on conflict resolution and peacebuilding, adhering to their biblical principles of neutrality, love, and peace. The principles adhered to by Jehovah's Witnesses means that they take no sides in conflicts of any kind.
They use their Bible education work to encourage open communication and empathy, fostering understanding between individuals and groups who are at each other’s’ throat. The message stresses forgiveness and reconciliation, helping individuals overcome past conflicts.
Interacting with the media during the tour on Friday, November 8, 2024, a member of the Church, Mr. Eric Brako, stated that, the presence of Jehovah’s Witness has been felt and seen in every corner of Ghana. He added that, the focus of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom—the only true solution to all human problems, with emphasis placed on godly-living and serving humanity with diligence and respect.
“Wherever there is conflict, the message we send out is to encourage them to live at peace. When we live at peace, there will not be any disaster that will befall us. For the past 100 years, we have embarked on this message of peace and assurance that we all need to live at peace with one another.
“We have promoted good health and good family values in our publications. These are the values the Bible teaches us and that is what we have lived by and share with others” Mr. Brako said.
