Presby Church Gets New Moderator

The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), has elected Rev. Prof Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, the immediate past President of the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon, as its new Moderator.

He takes over from Right Rev. Prof Cephas Narh Omenyo, who is currently unwell.

Prof. received 156 nominations as against his contenders, Rev. Dr. Nii Noi Odonkor and Rev. Victor Okoe Abbey who garnered 28 and 19 nominations respectively.

Although Prof. Mante led the nomination, he failed to obtain the mandatory 70 percent of total nominations.

Rev. Odonkor and Rev. Abbey stepped down for a Yes or No vote on Prof. Mante’s nomination.

At the end of voting, Rev. Prof. J.O.Y Mante gathered 195 Yes and 13 No votes representing 93.75% of votes cast.

Vacant position

On August 17, the General Assembly of the PCG declared the Moderator position vacant at its 18th General Assembly at Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region.

This is because the Church needed a new leader to run its day to day activities.

Right Rev. Prof Cephas Narh Omenyo, who was elected Moderator in August 2016, unfortunately got ill in 2017 whilst on an official duty at the Europe Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church.

Article 17 (7) of the PCG constitution states that where the office of the Moderator of the General Assembly becomes vacant by reason of resignation, death, incapacitation or otherwise, the General Assembly shall appoint any qualified Minister of the Church to act as Moderator of the Church until the General Assembly elects a substantive Moderator of the General Assembly at the next regular General Assembly meeting.”

Subsequently, Rev. Dr. Victor Okoe Abbey, the current Chairperson of Ga Presbytery of the Church was appointed as Acting Moderator.

This meant that, if the substantive Moderator cannot fulfill his official duties due to ill-health, then the church would elect a new Moderator.

The New Moderator

Rev. Prof. J.O.Y Mante, PhD, is the immediate past President of the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon.

He holds an MA, MPhil and PhD in Systematic Theology and Philosophy of Religion from Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California in USA.

Prof. Mante has served as the Board Chairman of Adom Foundation since 1996, and he also currently serves on the National Accreditation Board of Ghana.

He has served on many committees and boards in Ghana and abroad over the past 20 years including the Presbyterian University College of Ghana, Presbyterian Women’s College of Education, and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in Geneva, Switzerland.

He has been a minister of the gospel in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana since 1981, and he served as the Akuapem Presbytery Chairperson from 2006 to 2011.

He and Mrs. Mante are the co-founders of Adom Foundation Ghana and they plan to see the organization help many more children.