President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Friday night joined the Accra Ridge Church congregation to usher in year 2022.
He was accompanied by his wife, Rebecca, members of his household and some government officials.
The watch-night service was marked with songs of praise and thanksgiving to God for seeing the country through the challenges of COVID-19 in 2021.
There were intercessory prayers for Ghana, the Government, the Legislature, the Judiciary, the security services, and health workers.
Prayers were also offered for the restoration of the fortunes of the country, the sick, the neeedy, the bereaved, the family, the church, the personal development of Ghanaians and for the unity and prosperity of the nation.
A Minister of the Church, Rev. Canon Samuel Lamptey, who delivered the sermon, urged Ghanaians not to be dismayed by the events of 2021 because “the Lord God is with us.”
Preaching from the first three verses of first chapter of Joshua, he noted that when God put Joshua over Israel, He asked him to consider the past and the future, and that just as He was with Moses, He would be with him also.
“As we stand with our backs to 2021, we should have confidence in the Lord that He would empower us to go through the New Year 2022
” January is newness, a time to start afresh…. Let us acknowledge that newness and freshness comes from God and we should only rely on God,” he emphasised.
Rev. Lamptey urged Ghanaians to live in peace with one another and lean on God’s word to impact the lives of others in society.
“We should adopt the live of Christ Jesus so that we build peace, and resolve to share love to drive away darkness.”
The Minister prayed that 2022 would bring good tidings for Ghana, noting that though the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic had slowed economic and social life in the country, “the times and seasons of 2022 are in the hands of God.”
“We have nothing to fear because Christ walks with us and would never leave nor forsake us,” he assured.