Parliament under the patronage of Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin held its annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at the forecourt of Parliament House in Accra on Monday 19th December, 2022
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a service of Christian worship to celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus Christ that is traditionally followed at Christmas and was introduced to bring a more imaginative approach to the worship of Christ’s birth.
In attendance were Vice President H. E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; His Lordship the Chief Justice, Justice Anin-Yeboah; Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta; Leadership and Members of Parliament, former Clerks to Parliament, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and many others notable personalities and dignitaries.
Vice President Bawumia, Speaker Alban Bagbin, Deputy Majority Whip Alexander Afenyo-Markin; Deputy Minority leader James Avedzei; His Lordship Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, Justice of the Supreme Court; Mr. Cyril Nsiah, Clerk to Parliament; Prof. Amin Alhassan, Director-General of GBC and other notable personalities took turns to read portions of the Bible.
Bible Scriptures from the promise of the Messiah to the birth of Jesus were read in nine short Bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic books, and the Gospels, interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols, hymns, and choral music.
The Parliamentary Choir, the Voices of Democracy, set the stage for the scintillating evening to show why they were the host of the programme by rendering beautiful songs to remember the birth of Jesus Christ and to herald the celebration of the Christmas festivities.
Supporting invited choirs including Tema Youth Choir and the Great Chorale International ministered unto the congregation with songs of grace to the Almighty God.
Member of Parliament for Krachi West, Rev. Helen Adjoa Ntoso in her welcome address expressed gratitude to the Lord God for making it possible to have familiar faces attend the event each year.
She prayed to the Lord that as the Bible in Psalm 118:17 ushers the nation into the festive season, may the times be a prophecy given by the Lord for the attendees to live and see 2023 in full and to gather again and thank the Lord for his mercies.
A member of the Parliamentary Muslim Caucus, Alhaji Baba Inusah who read the Muslim solidarity message observed the event is important as an occasion on the Parliamentary calendar because it celebrates Jesus Christ the son of Mary.
He averred that no one can claim to be Muslim without acknowledging Jesus and his miraculous birth as enshrined in the Holy Quran.
He appealed to Muslims and Christians to therefore find what binds them together and use that to develop the nation and their societies.
Rev. Ing. Akua Ofori-Boateng, Director of Programmes of the Anglican Diocese in Accra who presented the exhortation stressed that Christmas is symbolized by the receiving of gifts and indicated this started during the birth of Jesus when he was visited by the three wise men with gifts.
She averred the significance of the gifts given to Jesus and the gifts that are exchanged today in the form of hampers, food, and drink are a presentation of personal wealth to the body of Christ.
Rev. Ofori-Boateng stated that what the Lord requires from his servants is to do what is right; to love mercy and to walk humbly before Him.
She stated if as part of duty a person refuses to take up the cross of integrity and turn down bribes then such a person is not worthy of God and stressed if in the legislative duty of the MP he or she refuses to take up the cross of diligence and actually read through the laws that have been set to ensure they are in the interest of the citizenry, then they are not worthy of God.
She stated that as God called members of Parliament to represent their constituents in the legislature to oversee the making of Ghana’s laws, they should walk in humility and recognize it is a privilege to serve.
