La Bethel Presbyterian Elders order closure of library

Accra, Jan 16, GNA - The Elders of the La Bethel Presbyterian Church has ordered the closure of a library at the Enobal Cluster of Schools to ascertain the ownership of the facility.

The order is to enable the Elders to invite the Assemblywoman for the La Koo Electoral, Ms Freda Akosua Prempeh, to appear before them to clarify matters including the funding and ownership of the structure housing the library.

The action of the Elders followed a misunderstanding between the La Emanse Youth and members of the Labone branch of the Lighthouse Chapel, which nearly resulted in a clash at the weekend.

According to the Youth, the library was constructed to serve the community but the Chapel had converted it into a place for worship and had been using it as such for the past three years. Attempts by the Youth to stop the use of the library for a church, nearly resulted in the near clash.

Speaking to the GNA at La, the Bethel Presbyterian Church Session Secretary, Mr Abraham Odamtten, said Ms Prempeh approached the Elders of the Church on the 14th of May 2004, for a portion of land at the school to put up a library for school children in the area. He said realizing the good intention of Ms Prempeh; the Elders freely gave out the land for the library after the Assemblywoman had convinced them that funds for the facility were going to come from the HIPC Fund.

Mr Odamtten stated that the Assemblywoman also told the Elders that some Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) had also promised to stock the library with books when the facility was completed. He said that to the surprise of the community the Lighthouse Chapel took over the building when it was completed and turned it into a church without any explanation to anyone.

When GNA contacted, Mr E O Koney, Chairman of the La Sub-metropolitan District Council, said on the 8th of August 2006, he wrote to the Head Pastor of the Chapel and the Assemblywoman to ensure that church services ceased at the facility but there have not been any response until the near clash.

Members of the Lighthouse Chapel refused to comment on the issue and directed GNA to the Head Pastor who was not present. However, investigations by GNA confirmed that the Elders of the Bethel Presbyterian Church were informed that funds for the project was going to come from the HIPC fund, which made the Youth to see the facility as a community library.

Sources close the Chapel on the other hand indicated that the Lighthouse Chapel provided money for the building of the structure. When contacted on phone the Assemblywoman denied that the library was built with HIPC Funds. 16 Jan 07