Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene, Catholic Bishop of Goaso has appealed to Parishes, Institutions, Societies, Stakeholders and Individuals in the Diocese and beyond and the general public to assist him construct St. John Paul II Seminary & Senior High School (SHS) at Bechem.
Bishop Atuahene noted that it had become imperative because even though there were a number of mixed and Girls SHS in the Diocese, it lacked a Boys School; hence the need to establish a male SHS to cater for the educational needs of boys in the Diocese and its catchment areas.
The Bishop made the appeal at a thanksgiving Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Goaso to mark his 60th Birthday Celebration. He said one of his desires as the Chief Shepherd of a predominantly rural Diocese is to help improve the living standards of the people through quality education delivery. He stressed that the Male-sex School was essential because according to 2010 National Population and Housing Census, the number of adolescent boys in the area outnumbered the girls but whereas there were two SHS for girls, there was none for boys and therefore “it would be necessary to set up one boys SHS to give equal opportunities for secondary education”
“More importantly, the Boys’ Senior High School, will have a Minor Seminary section to nurture young men who aspire to the priesthood but are denied admission to the Minor Seminary or Senior High Schools due to lack of space”, he added.
The Prelate lamented that due to the Small Scale mining, both legal and illegal in the Ahafo Area, some parents and relatives use the young boys as cheap labour in the mining business denying them the opportunity to continue schooling after Junior High School. “At a tender age, some of the boys after JHS migrate to the towns and cities in search of non-existing jobs, ending up becoming street children and engage in all kinds of vices or being trafficked” he stated.
He said the project needs to construct the basic facilities including Classroom Blocks, Dormitory Block and four-Bedroom Bungalows for the core staff members.
APPEAL FOR SUPPORT
Having realized the need for a SHS for boys in the Diocese of Goaso, the Prelate donated all the money realized at the 60th Birthday Anniversary as a seed money for the commencement of the project. However, the greatest challenge confronting us is funding.
We are, therefore, soliciting assistance, in cash and in kind, from all and sundry to realize this noble dream.
The Mass was attended by Most Rev. Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi; Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani; Most Rev. Dominic Yeboah Nyarko, Bishop of Techiman; Most Rev. Joseph Kwaku Essien, Bishop of Wiawso and many Vicars General who represented their Bishops. Also at the Mass were Very Rev. Fr. James Owusu Yeboah, SMA – Ghana Regional Superior, Msgr. Peter Nkrumah Amponsah, Lecturer of the Catholic University College of Ghana – Fiapre, scores of Priests and Religious from the Diocese and beyond, Chiefs, District Chief Executives, family members, friends, benefactors and benefactresses.
Rev. Fr. Augustine Amankwaa Boateng who was also 60 years and many other priests and lay faithful joined the Bishop.
A BRIEF CURRICULUM VITAE OF MOST REV PETER KWAKU ATUAHENE
Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene was born at Brosankro in the BrongAhafo Region on the 25th September, 1956. He is the son of Opanin Simon Atuahene Tawiah and Margaret Ama Serwaa. He had his Primary and Middle School at Brosankro. In 1972 he entered Kumasi High School and continued at St. Hubert’s Minor Seminary in 1974. He entered St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Pedu, Cape-Coast in 1980 for his studies in Philosophy and Theology. The late Most Rev James Kwadwo Owusu who was the Bishop of Sunyani, ordained him a priest on 12th July, 1986 at Brosankro.
From 1986 – 1988, he was appointed as the parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Fatima Parish at Sampa. Then between 1988 and 1989, he served as the Spiritual Director for St. James Seminary in Sunyani. He then went to Duquesne University in the United States of America where he had his Masters Degree in Formation Spirituality and Ministry. He was appointed the Spiritual Director for St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Pedu, Cape-Coast and served from 1991- 1997.
On January 6, 1998, he was ordained Bishop of Goaso by Pope St. John Paul II in Rome. He then became the first Catholic Bishop of Goaso in 1988. Between 1998 and 2005, he served as the Episcopal Chairman of Pontifical Mission Societies. From 2005 to 2008, he served as the Episcopal Chairman for Migrants and Refugees. He is currently the Episcopal Chairman for Chaplaincies, Vocations and Seminaries of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF GOASO
The Catholic Diocese of Goaso was created by the Holy Father Pope St. John Paul II of blessed memory in October 1997. It was carved out of the Diocese of Sunyani and the Archdiocese of Kumasi. The installation of the first and current Bishop, Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene, took place on Sunday, February 8, 1998, at Goaso.
The Diocese is co-terminus with eight (8) administrative districts with a population of 700,150. The Diocese has a Catholic population of 51,050, and began humbly with eight (8) parishes. Currently, the Diocese has eighteen (18) and six (6) quasi Parishes, constituting four (4) deaneries namely Goaso, Kenyasi, Tepa and Bechem.
The Diocese has 78 Kindergartens, 82 Basic Schools (1 – 6), 43 Junior High Schools, one Girls’ Senior High School (Our Lady of Apostles) and one College of Education (St. Joseph - Bechem).