Regional News of Friday, 26 July 2024
Source: First Sky Group
Executive Chairman and Founder of First Sky Group, Eric Seddy Kutortse, has reiterated the commitment of the Group through its subsidiaries to stay focused and resilient in its partnership with the church to facilitate the prosecution of the great commission in promoting the kingdom of God.
He emphasized that First Sky Group would continue to invest thirty percent (30%) of its profits after tax as funding for interventions that support the poor and needy in society, contribute to promoting the work of God, and help humanity.
Mr. Kutortse explained that this commitment to invest thirty percent of the Group’s profit was in fulfillment of a pledge made in 2016, following a decision by the Group Board to allocate that percentage (30%) of its annual profits (from all subsidiaries) to support God’s Kingdom Business, men of God, and to bring relief to humanity, the poor, and the needy.
Mr. Kutortse made this statement at the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of 50 church buildings and 50 two-bedroom mission houses in various locations in rural Greater Accra, dubbed the Legacy Temples Project, for the Assemblies of God, Ghana.
Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Kutortse explained, “We have been doing this religiously for the past eight years, during which the Group has already built some 72 churches across the country. Our key objective for this new 50 Legacy Temple Project is to use our resources to eliminate classroom churches and those held under trees, and to bring dignity to the priesthood.”
Mr. Kutortse stated that the investment in the Church is a long-term decision by the Group's Board to devote thirty percent of its net profit to bring relief to the church and humanity. He urged other businesses to emulate the example of First Sky Group in assisting local churches in rural areas to improve the lives of the communities.
Mr. Kutortse observed that the fulfillment of the 2016 Board decision included the adoption of the Korle Bu Renal Dialysis Unit, which has so far benefited from thirty-four million Ghana cedis (GHS 34 million) through the free dialysis scheme, covering the medical bills of patients who could not afford treatment, and establishing a modern Kidney Transplant Centre in Ghana, the first of its kind in West Africa, to serve patients within the country and the sub-region.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony in Prampram on July 15, General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Rev. Stephen Wengam, applauded the gesture of First Sky Group in response to the call to support the Church’s missions activities.
Rev. Dr. Wengam explained that the construction of the 50 church buildings and 50 two-bedroom mission houses in various locations in rural Greater Accra, under the Legacy Temples Project, will significantly support the local branches of Assemblies of God, Ghana, as a rural-focused faith-based organization to advance the work of the Kingdom of God. He added that this intervention would allow local Assemblies of God churches to focus their resources on other critical aspects of Kingdom work, including resourcing pastors.
“Assemblies of God Ghana is grateful to Deacon Eric Kutortse and his wife, and the entire First Sky Group for this very critical intervention in the growth of our church,” Rev. Wengam acknowledged. He explained that the motive for constructing the 50 mission houses is to provide decent accommodation to pastors who sometimes struggle to rent suitable housing while performing their duties.
Design and features of the project
A member of the project supervisory committee and Chief Executive Officer of First Sky Commodities, a subsidiary of First Sky Group, Mr. John Ahia Awate, explained that the 50 temples will have a seating capacity ranging between 200 and 450 in the various beneficiary communities, with each auditorium featuring dedicated halls for children and teens, a pastor’s office, washrooms, general office, and its own washrooms. The 50 mission houses will each include a master bedroom with lavatories, a study room, a kitchen, and other essential facilities.
About First Sky Group
The First Sky Group is a unique and diverse wholly Ghanaian-owned holding entity comprising subsidiaries with interests in Hospitality, Construction, Insurance, Banking, Commodities Trading, and Bitumen Processing, with a combined workforce of more than four thousand (4,000) employees stationed at various sites, offices, and locations across the country.
The subsidiaries include First Sky Construction Limited, a premier road construction and civil engineering firm; First Sky Commodities Limited, a licensed buying cocoa company; First Sky Bitumen Processing Limited; Volta Serene Hotel, a 4-star luxury hotel in Ho; Best Western Serene Atlantic Hotel, a 4-star luxury hotel in Takoradi; Serene Insurance Company Limited, a general insurance firm; Frerol Rural Bank, a thriving rural banking institution in the Kpando and Ho Districts of the Volta Region; and First Sky Energies Limited, a significant player in the oil, gas, and energy sector.