Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, on Tuesday said that the Church has built a multi-purpose campus for the Methodist University College in Accra.

He said it was to augment efforts by the University to provide educational infrastructure to promote holistic education.

Rev. Prof. Asante, who said these at a press conference on the 50 years of autonomy of the Church from the British Methodist Church, explained that holistic education involved academic, social, moral and religious transformation to provide the manpower needs of society.

He said: “The Church has also been involved in social and welfare activities such as provision of medical facilities in the regions, agricultural projects in parts of the country and facilities like the Methodist Rafiki Satellite and a home for neglected children at Gyahadze in the Winneba Diocese of the Church”.

Rev. Prof. Asante said before the arrival of the British Methodist Missionary at Cape Coast in 1835, there existed Anomabo Prayer groups that had been introduced to the Christian Faith and interacted with Portuguese and British clergy and merchants.

He said Mr Thomas Birch Freeman, a British-African Minister, was supported to establish the Methodist Church first in the Southern part of the country and later in Ashanti, Northern part of the country and other West African countries including Nigeria.

Rev. Prof. Asante noted that Rev. Gaddiel R. Acquah was appointed as the first African head of the Church in 1948 and as Chairman of District Synod of the then Gold Coast.

The Presiding Bishop said Rev. Acquah adopted and signed “the Deed of Foundation,” paving the way for the autonomy of the Methodist Church Ghana on 28th July, 1961.

Rev. Prof. Asante said the attainment of autonomy has led to an increase in membership, improvement in the structures and finances and evangelism.

He said even though the British Methodist Church offered financial assistance to the Methodist Church Ghana, upon the attainment of independence, most of the funding was raised locally.

Rev. Prof Asante said the church had since its inception build basic and tertiary schools that had produced responsible leaders in the country.

He said the church has initiated a ten-year strategic plan, and would go into financial investment to generate funds to implement all programmes, especially those in the rural areas.

Mr Nicholas Kofi Asane, Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana in Cape Coast, said that as part of activities to mark the celebration, the church would observe a crusade through out the country from July 26 to July 29.

Other activities included musical festival, tree planting, blood donation, clean up exercise, and members would undertake a float and a thanksgiving service on August 31 at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium to climax the event.