The Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC) has held its maiden graduation ceremony with a call on the graduates to assist individuals and couples in decision-making processes and help bring sanity in the society. The ceremony was held on the theme: 'Recognising and honouring 2023 outstanding personalities who are excelling in their roles in counselling, marriage and family life,' at Mankessim in Central Region. They are Rev. Juliana Yorke of Christian Faith Church, Brightwell Amu Mensah of Jewels of God church, Rev. Elijah Debrah Odoom of Straightway Chapel International, Rev. Paul Baafo Quansah of Calvary Road Baptist Church and Counselor Grace Mawuse Doe of International Christian Gospel Church at Mankessim. The six months training in Level One Certified Biblical Marriage Counsellors' Course, saw each of them receiving Certificates, Testimonial and citations from the Association. ACC is into Counselling, Research, Education and Training, hence the training of Reverend Ministers and other individuals with Biblical Marriage Counseling knowledge to administer in their various churches, communities and homes. The best Pastoral Counselor 2023 went to Rev. Vincent Michael in charge of Deliverance Assemblies of God Church, while the best Wife and Caring Wife 2023 award was received by Mrs Doris Lamptey. Fifteen other personalities in Mankessim and its surrounding towns, were also honoured with Counseling, Marriage and Family life excellence awards. His Royal Eminence, Osagyefo Amanfo Edu VI, the Paramount Chief of Mankessim Traditional Area and Her Majesty Nana Dr Ama Amissah III, Queen Mother of the traditional area, were honoured with the 2023 best Traditional Counsellors Award, and they received citations. The Officiating Ministers were Rev. Emmanuel Otoo, Coordinator, Association of Christian Counselors, Very Rev. Aidoo Superintendent Minister, Ebenezer Methodist Church Mankessim, Dr Bishop Peter Kojo Sackey, Church of Christ and Very Rev. Prof. Mark Nii Lamptey, visiting Professor, Alpha Internal Theological Seminary. Rev. Otoo, who made the call further, urged the graduates to ensure they played useful roles in the society, saying they must use the pulpit to expose their members and the public to the importance of counselling. Osagyefo Amanfo Edu thanked the Association for bringing the course to their doorstep to train Ministers of the Gospel and other members of the public with skills in counseling to support persons in distress among others. He further urged the graduates to be problem and conflict solving agents through the knowledge and skills acquired in counseling to help create safe and conducive environment for all. Nana Amissah applauded the association for training the participants to become Biblical marriage Counselors in the society. She encouraged her members, particularly Family Heads and Ministers of the Gospel in the area to take advantage of the opportunity the Association was offering to enable them handle issues brought before them fairly and without fear or favour. Earlier at an Excellence awards ceremony at Saltpond, the Best Cross-Cultural Counsellor went to Rev. Emmanuel Otoo, Coordinator of the Association, while best Career Counselor Award was received by Very Rev. Prof. Mark Nii Lamptey, member of the Deliverance Assemblies of God Church in Mankessim.

Source: Ghana News Agency