A new dawn beckons the Accra West Region of the Noble Order of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall, as the Region is set to be reconfigured into two new Regions on Saturday, September 5, 2020.
The reconfiguration follows the approval by the Supreme Council and Grand Court.
Currently, the Accra West Regional Council is made up of Council 48, Mataheko; Council 71, Dansoman; Council 74, Accra Central; Council 108, Pokuase; Council 109, New Aplaku; Council 127, Abeka and Council 139, Ngleshie Amanfro.
The component Courts for the Ladies are: Court 40, Mataheko; Court 63, Dansoman; Court 67, Accra Central; Court 103, Pokuase; Court 105, New Aplaku; Court 121, Abeka and Court 132, Ngleshie Amanfro.
New Composition
The yet to be consecrated Regions for now, are referred to as Region A and Region B.
For Region A, the new component Councils will be Council 71, Dansoman; Council 109, New Aplaku and Council 139, Ngleshie Amanfro; while their Lady counterparts would be Court 40, Mataheko; Court 63, Dansoman, Court 105, New Aplaku and Court 132, Ngleshie Amanfro.
Component Councils 48, Mataheko; 74, Accra Central; 108, Pokuase and 127, Abeka; as well as Courts 67, Accra Central; Court 103, Pokuase and Court 121, Abeka; will constitute Region B.
However, it is important to point out that in the reconfiguration, Council 48 and Court 40 Mataheko, which used to be together, will be going separate ways to join Regions B and A respectively.
The reconfiguration of the new regions will be taking place after nearly four years of attempts to have the Accra West Region split.
History of Greater Accra
The Councils/Courts in Greater Accra Region used to be part of the Eastern Regional Council and Court. Council 17 and Court 20, Winneba; also belonged to the Eastern Regional Council and Court.
At the time, there were only two Councils and Courts in the Greater Accra namely Councils 10 and 37 with their Lady Counterparts Courts 5 and 26.
However, following the consecration of Council No. 48 and Court 40, Accra West on January 4, 1986, representatives of the three Greater Accra Councils, namely, Council 10, Christ the King Parish, Cantonments; Council 37, Tema and Council 48, Holy Family Parish, Mataheko, and their Lady Counterparts met on Sunday, January 11, 1987 at the Christ the King Parish Hall, Accra, to deliberate on the modalities for the creation and consecration of a new Regional Council and Court.
Constitutional Provisions
Per Section 1 of Article 90 of the Knights of Marshall Constitution, “A Regional Council shall be a joint Council of the Councils in a specified geographic area determined by the Supreme Council.”
Section 2 of the same Article, provides that “any three or more Councils in a specified area may apply to the Supreme Council to form a Regional Council except that where they are members of an existing Regional Council, the application shall be channeled through that Regional Council”.
Justification
The existence of Councils 10, 37, 48 and their Lady Counterparts of Courts 5, 26 and 40, fulfilled the requirements for formation of a Regional Council/Court.
The following were therefore the recommendations of the January 11, 1987 meeting, for the consideration of the Advisory Boards of the three Councils and Courts:
- Approve the creation of the Greater Accra Regional Council and Court.
- Seek the approval of the three Councils and Courts at their meetings in January and February, 1987.
- Approve the submission to the Supreme Council and Grand Court, through the Eastern Regional Council and Court, the appropriate resolution with an application to seek approval and authority to create the Greater Accra Regional Council and Court.
- Thereafter, the three Councils and Courts to jointly discharge the required Constitutional obligations necessary for the creation and consecration of the Greater Accra Regional Council and Court.
The second meeting of the committee to consider the creation and consecration of the Greater Accra Regional Council and Court met on May 31, 1987 at the Christ the King Parish Hall, Cantonments, with the following representatives.
- Bro. Anthony K. Deku, GA – Council 10, Chairman
- Bro. B. K. Mensah, PGA – Council 10
- Bro. F. I. Andoh Jnr – Council 10
- Bro. S. I. K. Boakye-Agyeman, PGA, Secretary – Council 10
- Bro. Theo Appiah-Dankwah, GK – Council 10
- Bro. Steve Aduboffour, DGK – Council 10
- Bro. Tobias Kofi Quist, PGA – Council 48
- Bro. R. H. Amonoo-Neizer, GK – Council 48
- Bro. J. B. Owusu, Secretary – Council 48
- Bro. P. Adusei-Poku, PGA – Council 37
- Bro. Anthony Agyapong, PGK – Council 37
- Bro. J. B. Y. Yirerong, GA – Council 37
- Bro. Albert Essien, DGK – Council 37
- Sis. Vinola Kludje, NL – Court 5
- Sis. Angela Bannerman, PNL – Court 5
- Sis. Rose Erskine, Secretary – Court 5
- Sis. Josephine Richter, PNA – Court 40
- Sis. Josephine D. Derkyie, NL – Court 40
- Sis. Agnes Da Rocha, PNL – Court 40
- Sis. Agnes Adade, DNL – Court 40
- Sis. Nancy Amenumey, NL – Court 26
- Sis. Janet Boadi, PNA – Court 26
- Sis. Cecilia Essien, Secretary – Court 26
Correspondence
Two letters addressed to the Eastern Regional Secretary from the Supreme Council were read by the Secretary giving approval for a Greater Accra Regional Council and Court to be formed. Council 17, Winneba, was also directed to join the Central Region.
As a first step, it was decided that approval be also obtained from the Grand Court for the opening, concurrently, of a Regional Court with their male counterparts.
Bro. Theodore Appiah-Dankwah, GK of Council 10, reported in detail on the proceedings of the Eastern Regional Advisory Board held on April 2, 1987. The minutes indicated that, 1988 was agreed for the consecration. Grand Knights from Council 10 and 48, had abstained from voting. It was, however, noted that the decision taken bound the two Councils. It was also noted with great concern that Councils outside Greater Accra Region had voted overwhelmingly to defer the opening and consecration of the Greater Accra Regional Council and Court until 1988.
The proposed 1988 date run counter to the November 28, 1987 agreed by the three Councils/Courts of Greater Accra.
Meanwhile, at the 1985 Eastern Regional Council and Court meetings, Bro. Augustine K. Tehoda of Council 17, Winneba and Sis. Victoria Habib of Court 5, Accra, had been elected Deputy Regional Grand Knight (DRGK) and Deputy Regional Noble Lady (DRNL) respectively and were to be installed Regional Grand Knight (RGK) and Regional Noble Lady (RNL) at the August, 1987 Regional Conference meeting.
Their tenures of office were to end at the October, 1989 Regional Conference meetings.
After a series of meetings between the Eastern and Greater Accra Regional Councils and Courts, it was finally resolved to wait, prepare and have the consecration at the October, 1989 Regional Conference.
Consecration
At a well-attended conference at the Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana, Legon, from October 14 to 15, 1989, the Greater Accra Regional Council and Court was consecrated.
While Brothers had already elected and appointed their Officers, the Ladies under the supervision of the Grand Court, met on Friday, October 13, 1989, to elect and appoint their Officers.
On Saturday, October 14, 1989, after Mass, Brothers and Sisters assembled for the plenary session, at the Commonwealth Hall Lecture Theatre. The Supreme Knight, now Supreme Director, Sir. Kt. Bro. Vet. Cdr. Dr. E. S. K. Kwaw, delivered an address to the conference. The theme of the conference was, “Leadership in Action”. The Grand Lady, Respected Lady Sis Elizabeth Afful, delivered the message from the Grand Court.
Council and Court meetings started around 3:30pm and after the opening ceremonies, the elected and appointed Officers were legally, ritualistically and constitutionally installed.
With regard to the Regional Council, Worthy Bro. S. K. Alowodor was installed the first Regional Grand Knight of Greater Accra with Bro. Ben Osei-Kofi as Deputy Regional Grand Knight while Respected Lady Sis. Elizabeth Moses (Past Substantive Grand Lady) was installed the first Regional Noble Lady with Sis. Lucy Osei-Kofo as her Deputy.
On Sunday, October 15, 1989, a Pontifical Thanksgiving Mass was held at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, Legon, with Most Rev. Guiseppe Bertello, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, as the main Celebrant.
The first Greater Accra Regional Conference was held on Saturday and Sunday, August 18 and 19, 1990, at the Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana, Legon. The 1991 and 1992 Regional Conferences were also held at the Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana, Legon.
However, between 1993 and 2009, one-day Regional Conferences were held either at the Christ the King Parish Hall, Holy Spirit Cathedral Parish Hall, or the Social Advance Centre and on occasions at the Tema Secondary School.
Reconfiguration of Greater Accra
Almost 10 years down the line after the consecration of the Greater Accra Region, attempts were made to split into more Regions due to the high number of Councils and Courts and membership.
For instance, new Councils such as Council 63, Madina; Council 64, Teshie Nungua; Council 71, Dansoman; Council 74, Accra Central; Council 89, Sakumono and Council 100, Osu La, had been consecrated to add to the existing three Councils – 10, Christ the King Parish; 37, Tema and 48, Mataheko.
In the domain of the Courts, new Courts such as 58, Madina; 59, Teshie Nungua; 63, Dansoman; 67, Accra Central; 90, Adenta; 89 Sakumono and 96, Osu; had also been consecrated in addition to Courts 5, 26 and 40.
As a result of the attempts to reconfigure the Greater Accra Region into three new Regions, the administration of Worthy Bro. Charles Brew-Hammond and Respected Lady Sister Rose Anastasia Erskine, was cut short by a year. The administration had been installed for the 2009-2011 Administration, but they gave way for the consecration of the three new Regions in 2010.
Thus, on July 10, 2010, the Greater Accra Region was also reconfigured into Accra East, Accra West and Tema Regions.
Under the leadership of Worthy Bro. Paul Alphonse Essel as the first Regional Knight of Accra East with Councils 10, 63, 94 and 100 as the component Councils, while Respected Lady Sis Cecilia Gonzalves-Cosmas led the Sisters with Courts 5, 58, 90 and 96 as Accra East Regional Court.
In the new Accra West Region, the late Sir. Kt. Bro. Peter Amonoo McCarthy was the first Regional Grand Knight with Councils 48, 71 and 74 as the component Councils of the Region, while Most Respected Lady Sis. Cecilia Bobie led the Regional Court with Courts 40, 63 and 67 as the component Courts of the Accra West Regional Court.
Sir. Kt. Bro. Wilberforce K. Bedu-Mensah was installed the first Regional Grand Knight of Tema Region with Councils 37, 64 and 89 as component Councils.
The Tema Regional Court comprised Court 26, Court 59 and Court 85, with Respected Lady Sister Cecilia Essien as the first Regional Noble Lady.
Accra West
Since the consecration of the Accra West Region on July 10, 2010, new Councils such as Council 108, Pokuase; Council 109, New Aplaku; Council 127, Abeka and Council 139, Ngleshie Amanfro; have been consecrated to bring the total number of Councils to seven.
As regards the Courts, 103, Pokuase; 105, New Aplaku; 121, Abeka and132, Ngleshie Amanfro; have also been consecrated with the total number of Courts in the Region standing at seven.
Intention to Split
The bid to split the Accra West Regional Council into two was formalized with a December 4, 2019, correspondence to the Supreme Council conveying the decision of the Accra West Regional Council at its 29th September, 2019 Advisory Board meeting held at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka, Accra and chaired by W/Bro Evaristus Kuatsinu, IPRGK. The request was for the consecration of a new Regional Council to be composed of Councils 48 (Mataheko), 74 (Accra Central), 108 (Pokuase) and 127 (Abeka) of the Accra West Regional Council, with the Accra West Regional Council as the sponsoring Regional Council.
Prior to this, the Standing Committee at its January 25-26, 2019 meeting dismissed a petition to form a new Region from the Grand Knights of Councils 48, 74, 108 and 127 on the basis that it should have been routed through the Accra-West Regional Council. The Petition was therefore referred back to the Signatories for proper routing.
As a result of this, a correspondence dated March 25, 2019, from each of the four Councils to the Accra West Regional Council, expressed their desire to form a new Regional Council. The letters were signed by the Secretaries of the four Councils on the authority of the respective Grand Knights: Bro Clifford Dzillah (Council 48), Bro Ing. Paul Abraham (Council 74), Bro Samuel Tandoh (Council 108) and Bro. Maxwell Owusu (Council 127).
At its January 17 and 18, 2020 meeting, the Standing Committee of the Supreme Council, approved the request for the split of the Accra West Regional Council into two new Regions.
Challenges
It was, however, detected that Court 40, Mataheko, which has always been the counterparts of Council 48, Mataheko, had declined to join the same Region with them.
Subsequently, the Supreme Knight, Sir Kt Bro Charles L. L. Cobb and the Grand Lady, Most Respected Lady Sis Dame Dr Agatha Akua Bonney, made overtures to bring Council 48 and Court 40 under the same Region. The first of such meetings took place on March 21, 2020 between the Supreme Knight and the leadership of the seven Councils/Courts of the Accra West Region.
In an April 3, 2020 correspondence signed by Secretary to Council, Bro Cosmos Anpengnuo, as feedback of the March 21, 2020 meeting to the Supreme Knight, Council 48 reiterated their position to be in the same Region with Councils 74, 108 and 127.
In a last minute attempt to bring the two together, Sir Kt Bro Tony Cobla Kemavor and Most Respected Lady Adelaide Benneh on August 14, 2020, met the leadership of Council 48 and Court 40. The two were given time after the meeting to reconsider the issue but they stood on their positions.
So today, September 5, 2020, the two Regions will be consecrated. Sir Kt Bro Sir James Augustine Adomako will be the consecration officer for Brothers while Most Respected Lady Stella Ayebi will be the consecration officer for the Sisters.
The Supreme Knight, Sir Kt Bro Charles Cobb and the Grand Lady, Most Respected Lady Sis Dame Dr Agatha Akua Bonney will be the installation officers at the Council and Court meetings respectively.
Roll of first Office Bearers for ACCRA WEST 2010-2012
| NAME | POSITION | COUNCIL |
| W/Bro. Tony N. N. Baffour | Advisory Board Chairman | 48 |
| W/Bro. Peter Amonoo McCarthy | RGK | 48 |
| Bro. Yaw Osei-Poku | DRGK | 71 |
| Bro. Peter K. Wireko | RS | 74 |
| Bro. Victor Adigbo | Regional Reader & Lecturer | 48 |
| Bro. James D. Amoah | Regional Treasurer | 71 |
| Bro. Divine Davy Dawlah | Regional Auditor | 48 |
| Bro. Francis S. Koku | Regional Advocate | 74 |
| Bro. Dr. Andre Kwasi-Kuma | Regional Physician | 71 |
| Bro. Anthony Apaloo | Reg. Secretary of Finance | 71 |
| Bro. Thomas Owusu-Asamoah | Assist. Reg. Secretary | 71 |
| Bro. Philip D. Armah-Mensah | Membership Coordinator | 74 |
| Bro. Alexis W. Nakaar | Reg. Welfare Officer | 74 |
| Bro. Albert K. Salia | Reg. Communications Officer | 71 |
| Bro. Peter B. Havor | Regional Youth Coordinator | 74 |
| Bro. Evaristus K. Kuatsinu | Reg. MC | 48 |
| Bro. Lawrence K. Bebli | Regional Guard | 71 |
| Bro. Lucas Agbo | Assist. Regional Tyler | 71 |
| Bro. Rev. Fr. Dominic Amegashitsi | Regional Chaplain | 71 |
| Bro. Rev. Fr. Wisdom Dordunu | Assist. Regional Chaplain | 71 |
OFFICE BEARERS FOR FIRST ACCRA WEST REGIONAL COURT
| NAME | POSITION | COURT |
| RL Sis. Joana Essel | Chair, Regional Advisory Board | 40 |
| RL Sis. Cecilia Bobie | RNL | 63 |
| Sis. Veronica Ayikwei-Kofie | DRNL | 40 |
| Sis. Doris Ama Bramson | Reg. Secretary | 67 |
| Sis. Joana Brew-Addaquaye | Assist. Reg. Secretary | 40 |
| Sis. Grace Frimpong | Reg. Secretary of Finance | 63 |
| Sis. Gifty Baaba Gyedu Adomako | Regional Treasurer | 67 |
| Sis. Justina Osei-Poku | Regional Auditor | 63 |
| Sis. Mary Anderson | Regional Sentry | 40 |
| Sis. Sarah Aklibosu | Regional Reporter | 40 |
| Sis. Mary Benedicta Buako | Membership Coordinator | 67 |
| Sis. Cynthia Baffour | Regional Reader and Lecturer | 63 |
Compiled by Sir. Kt. Bro. Albert K. Salia with additional files from the 2020 Greater Accra Regional Conference (Consecration of three new Regions in Accra Brochure)