Rev. Stephen Wengam receives Honorary Doctorate Degree

The award was presented to him in front of his congregation at the Cedar Mountain Chapel of the Assemblies of God Church, East Legon, where he is the Lead Pastor, and in front of several dignitaries including renowned politicians, leading media personnel and members of the clergy.

The conferment was, among other things, based on Rev. Wenghams 15 years of fruitful relationship with the media as a regular preacher and social commentator; his role in national development and immense contribution to spread of the gospel and growth of the church since his secondary school days till date.

Beside the long list of achievements as a Christian leader, radio preacher, social commentator, President’s Nominee to the Ghana Prisons Council, among other things, Rev. Dr. Wengam had to write more than a thousand pages of a thesis on 'Leadership Succession in the Classical Pentecostal Churches' before the award was conferred on him.

A reading of his profile at the ceremony revealed his rare commitment to the spread of the gospel through dawn broadcast, preaching in buses and market places, establishing Christian fellowships in an Islamic dominated school and a non-Christian school and communities, and serving as patron and board member of several local and international organizations.

He holds a BSc. Administration (Marketing) from the University of Ghana, Diploma in Theology from the Northern Bible College, Diploma in Clinic Christian Counseling, and a Masters in Theology from the International Theological Seminary, USA.

Rev. Dr. Wengam has worked as pastor, youth leader, campus Christian fellowship leader, and associate pastor for several branches of the Assemblies of God Church, and also served as Director of Administration of the church until recently.

He is currently the West Africa Coordinator of Global Leadership Training, Board Member of Meaningful Life International, Patron of Immigration Ladies Association of the Ghana Immigration Service, and of the Korle-Bu Youth Choir, Campus Pastor of the Assemblies of God Campus Ministry, University of Ghana Legon, Youth Director of Greater-Accra Assemblies of God, and Board Member of CitiFM Foundations.

Rev. Dr. Wengam is the host of Citi FM early morning Christian programme, dubbed “This is Your Day”, which is a family morning devotion programme dedicated to giving listeners a positive head-start into the day.

He dedicated the award to his late father and his listeners, and used the occasion to urge Ghanaians to use the media responsibly to ensure a peaceful election.

Director of PACC, Very Rev. Dr. Frederick Kwaku Akakpo said at a time when several people are using the media in Ghana to stir confusion and foment instability, Rev. Wengham stands out as one of the few people using the media to consistently make positive impact in people’s lives and in the life of the nation as a whole.

He said beside that, Rev. Dr. Wengam has also shown rare commitment to academic excellence, as reflected in his thought-provoking and inspiring thesis or more than a thousand pages.

Very Rev. Dr. Akakpo used the occasion to urge other men of God to emulate the example of Rev. Dr. Wengam and use the opportunity they have behind the pulpit and in the media to make promote peace instead of make political predictions in the name of prophecies that have the potential of stabilizing the country.

He also called on government to give place to the clergy to participate directly in policy-making instead of just limiting the clergy to opening and closing prayers at state function.

“It is not enough for the clergy to be doing opening and closing prayers at state function – it should be possible to have the clergy in Parliament to contributing to debates on national policies,” he said.

Missions Director of PACC, and Head Pastor of Golden Gate Chapel, Bishop Dr. Eddy Anakwa, who delivered the sermon, urged Christians to speak the language of peace, which was what Christ begun and finished his ministry with.

“When Christ was born the message was ‘peace on earth’, and when he met the storming sea and said ‘peace be still’ and when he was leaving to heaven he said ‘my peace I leave with you’ so as Christians we need to ensure that before, during and after the election we speak the language of peace,” he said.

He said God revealed to him that events such as the Wikileaks revelations about Ghana and others were intended by the devil to mar the peace in Ghana at the 2012 elections but he and some colleagues of his have prayed for the country to avert any confusion the devil is planning against the only peaceful nation in West Africa, Ghana.

But Ghanaians have the duty to stay clear of people and statements that foment violence and intolerance to ensure that the peace is maintained.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor was the guest of honor, and she used the occasion to pledge government’s commitment to ensuring the 2012 elections is free, fair and peaceful.

She also urged media practitioners and men of God in the media to use the airwaves to promote tolerance and temperate language, and to condemn behaviours that have the potential of disturbing the peace.