A group of angry youth of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana [PCG] at Kitase near Aburi in the Akwapim South District of the Eastern region on New Year’s day locked up the church building, saying that they will not allow the premises to be used for church service if their demand of maintaining the resident care-taker of the church, Nana Yaw Asiama, was not met.

The about 20 angry youth, calling themselves ‘Concerned Youth of the Church’ and wielding a single-barrel gun , stones, cutlasses and bottles, blocked the entrance to the chapel when they saw two pastors from the church’s district seat at Aburi arrive to introduce Owusu Mensah Agyekum as the New Catechist of the Kitase Church.

The Police District Commander for the Akwapim area, DSP Agyenim Boateng, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE at the crime scene, said the police were there to restore calm and orderliness so that people could enjoy the festivities of the day.

He said as a result of the violence, one of his men got hit by the stones thrown by the youth. He added that a suspect who was also arrested and handcuffed escaped into the bush, noting however that the police were still looking for all the suspects, who at the time of going to press had escaped from the town.

A presbyter of the Kitase Presby Church who would not disclose her name blamed the care-taker of the church for masterminding the unfortunate development.

She explained that Owusu Mensah Agyekum was an honest Presbyterian who had started a prayer ministry at Kitase two years ago. She added that he was re-assigned from Pokrom, also in the Akwapim South District, to Kitase as Catechist two weeks ago but the message of his transfer was received with mixed feelings from the interim care-taker, Nana Yaw Asiama , a retired teacher.

She alleged that the care-taker had consequently masterminded the riot.

The Apesemakahene of Kitase Nana Toah, who spoke on behalf of the Kitasehene Nana Kwasi Ankra, described the development as very unfortunate, especially for an institution such as the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

He warned that the local church would be closed down if the church executive did not settle the issue to restore peace.

Some members of the church who also spoke to DAILY GUIDE said they were disappointed that the intended church party for all members and fun games on Monday, January 2, 2012 had been interrupted.