| Your Grace, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle. The Installation Officer, S/Kt. Bro. Victor Derx Baffour, IPSK, the Installation Secretary, W/Bro. Ernest Amoako-Arhen, DSK, the Installation Chaplain, Bro. Rev. Fr. Wisdom Dordunu, the Installation Guard, W/Bro. Lawrence Bebli, Sir Knights, Worthy Brothers, Senior Officers and Brothers, first of all please join me in giving thanks to the Almighty Father for giving us the graces of today and for bringing us this far.
Your Grace, the Accra West Regional Council is privileged to have you in our midst at this installation Council and we are thankful to you. To the Installation Team, I say a very big thank you for successfully installing the members of the 3rd Administration of the Accra West Regional Council and to all Officers and Brothers of this assembly and the Region, I say thank you for your prayers, and for your support. Installation Officer, let me acknowledge with thanks the presence of the Regional Grand Knights of Accra East and Tema Regions, W/Bro. Michael Kwarteng and W/Bro. Victor Adonu. They are accompanied to this meeting with their respective incoming Regional GKs, Bro. Samuel Kingsford Arthur and Bro. Paul Agyiri, both of whom and I served as Grand Knights in 2006 for our respective Councils. To my fore runners, W/Bro. Yaw Osei-Poku, and S/Kt Bro. Peter Amonoo McCarthy, on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire membership of Accra West Region I would like to express our deepest gratitude to you both for nurturing Accra West Region in its formative years. The contributions of S/Kt Bro. Tony N.N. Baffour and that of S/Kt Bro. Tobias Kofi Quist would always be on our minds. S/Kt Bro Kwaku Dua Manu as I recall also played a key role in the creation of the three Regions in Greater Accra. We are grateful to you and many other senior Officers whose contributions have made positive impact on the growth of the Order. Installation Officer, the Accra West Region, has over the first four years of its existence, grown from three Councils to five. Whilst congratulating Councils 74 and 71 for giving birth to Councils 108, Pokuase and 109, New Aplaku respectively let us also say ayekoo to Council 48 for the massive investment they have made in the construction of their Temple. We still have work to do if we are to pursue the Supreme Council’s goal of indexing Councils and Courts to Parishes. I would task our Regional Propagandist to hit the ball running in keeping the pace. The Marshallan Relief & Development Services (MAREDES) which seeks to provide complimentary development and social services to communities and the deprived, needs to be given a boost and visibility in order to attract corporate and other support needed to work as a major NGO in Ghana. Agreement has been reached with all Councils and Courts in the Region to undertake their charity work (one each) within the next two years under the auspices of MARADEX. Council 74 and Court 67 will kick start the programme in September 2014 with the provision of water for the Akropong School for the Blind. The MARADEX Board has been notified of these five programmes to be rolled out between 2014 and 2016. My counterpart RL Sis Afua Amoa Duah and I are making a small contribution of GH¢ 5,000.00 to support these MAREDES programmes. The pilgrimage organised by my predecessor, W/Bro. Yaw Osei-Poku to Abidjan and Yamoussoukro in March this year was so successful that already several requests have been received for a similar programme in 2015. Apart from the spiritual fulfillment, this Region could take advantage of the open door of the Administrator of St Paul’s Cathedral in Abidjan, Rev. Fr. Jean-Baptiste Akwadan to inaugurate an Association with a view to setting up the process of consecrating a Council and Court in Abidjan. I know that the Deputy Supreme Knight, W/Bro. Ernest Amoako-Arhen is working through the Supreme Council towards this objective. Installation Officer, I wish to take advantage of this gathering to launch the 2015 Pilgrimage to Abidjan and Yamoussoukro. This Pilgrimage has been scheduled for Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th of March, 2015 and the cost for the 4-day trip, Paired Accommodation, Meals, Visa Fees, Entry tickets, is GH¢ 750.00/pilgrim. Brothers and our Sisters could make full or gradual payments through the GK/NL or directly to the Pilgrimage Finance Director, W/Bro. D.D. Dawlah at the HSC Marshallan Secretariat. The Junior Order is a very important segment of our Noble Order and I say ayekoo to all our Organisers for their time and investment. I wish to appeal strongly to all to help make the Junior Order a tower of strength for our Noble Order. Not only should we ensure that our children and the young ones become members, but we should be personally interested that they get the Catholic disciplined upbringing. Finally, Installation Officer, Officers and Brothers of Accra West Region, discussions are under way to offer proposals to all 3 Regional Advisory Boards in Greater Accra on a consensus of having a 2-day, 1-night, residential home coming conference possibly in 2015 and consequently every third or fourth year as the case may be. I am indeed humbled at the opportunity to serve and I am grateful for the honour. Thank you and may God bless us all. Presentations i. To Marshallan Relief & Development Services (MARADES) GH¢ 5,000.00 ii To the Council PA System to enhance meetings and outdoor activities iii Installation Team |