By James Esuon
Agona Swedru (C/R), Aug. 8, GNA – Dr Eric Akobeng, Vice Chairman of the St Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church Board, has urged churches in Ghana to establish comprehensive parishioner databases to support youth empowerment, skills development, job creation and networking.
He said churches should capture reliable information on parishioners at home and abroad, including their professional backgrounds, areas of expertise and willingness to volunteer.
According to Dr Akobeng, an Economist and former Macroeconomic Expert to the ECOWAS Commission, such databases could match church projects with appropriate professionals, facilitate virtual advisory sessions, organise skills-based missions and create mentorship programmes for young people.
He made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.
Dr Akobeng, who was also Development Planning and Economic Affairs Chief at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), said the initiative could provide a platform for connecting unemployed youth with experienced professionals, skilled artisans and business owners for mentorship, apprenticeships, internships, employment and business partnerships.
He said parishioners with specialised expertise should be encouraged to volunteer as mentors and trainers to promote mutual support and shared responsibility.
He added that involving parishioners in the diaspora would broaden opportunities for career guidance, scholarships, professional networking, investment partnerships and employment creation.
“Churches should deliberately shift from viewing the diaspora primarily as a source of financial contributions, to recognising them as a strategic reservoir of knowledge, professional expertise, skills and global networks,” he said.
Dr Akobeng noted that many diaspora members were accomplished professionals in medicine, engineering, education, information technology, finance, law, architecture, project management, entrepreneurship and governance.
He said structured engagement would enable churches to leverage those competencies to implement high-impact projects, mentor young people, strengthen administration, provide technical advice and improve service delivery.
He said the approach would transform diaspora members from occasional donors into active development partners, shifting from “diaspora giving” to “diaspora skills partnership” to build a resilient, self-reliant and sustainable Church.
“Financial resources may complete a project, but knowledge, innovation and professional expertise ensure that projects are well-designed, efficiently managed and capable of delivering lasting benefits to the Church and the wider community,” he said.
Dr Akobeng, who also chaired the Planning Committee for the 75th anniversary celebration of St Anthony of Padua Parish Church, said greater entrepreneurial capacity would encourage the establishment of youth-owned businesses and promote confidence, self-reliance, leadership, belonging and active participation in church life.
He said the pool of professionals and skilled artisans could support parish projects in construction, maintenance, ICT, finance, legal services, communication, education, healthcare and administration, while reducing project implementation costs through volunteer expertise and in-kind professional support.
He therefore urged church leadership to plan strategically to enhance youth empowerment through job creation and wealth generation.
Dr Akobeng also advocated youth entrepreneurship and vocational training programmes, saying affordable training and certified courses could equip members with skills to establish income-generating ventures and create employment for others.
He said the increased financial capacity of employed persons and successful entrepreneurs would, in turn, strengthen members’ ability to support church projects through stewardship, donations and sponsorship.
The database, he added, could also help fast-track the completion of ongoing projects at the St Anthony of Padua Parish in Agona Swedru.
The parish celebrated its 75th anniversary about a fortnight ago, with the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, the Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Central Regional Minister Mr Ekow Okyere Panyin Aduamoah, chiefs of the Swedruman Council and some MMDCEs attending the celebration.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey