As recounted by Prof. Kofi Owusu-Mensa in his book “Seventh-Day Adventism in Ghana (p.273)”, the Seventh-day Adventists’ presence on the University of Ghana, Legon campus dates back to the late 1962 when Pastor William B. Ackah got in touch with the Adventist students at the University with the purpose of formally organising them into a praying fellowship. Previously, these Adventist students attended Sabbath worship in town every week. The initial Fellowship consisted of eleven men, all undergraduate students at the University. The first worship was held on the night of Friday, January 11, 1963.
The Dawn of GNAAS UG.
Each generation of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Fellowship leadership at University of Ghana came with its vision. Some leaders focused their activities on increasing the membership, while others embarked on evangelism. In particular, the 1985/6 academic year SDA Fellowship leadership had a vision to establish a permanent Adventist presence at the campus of the University of Ghana. This was premised on leadership’s realisation that the SDA Fellowship on campus had not been permanently grounded – church activities were held regularly while academic work at the University was in session, whereas the light of SDA presence dimmed during the holiday periods. The leadership, therefore, took a decision to hold an evangelistic crusade intended for church planting at the Legon Staff Village in the last quarter of 1985. Thus, the Legon SDA Church (initially called Staff Village SDA Church) was borne in 1985 out of activities/efforts by the SDA Fellowship at the University.
Under the general direction of the then Accra East District of SDA, and with the support of the Madina Central SDA Church and the direct participation of the Adventist staff of the University of Ghana, Elder Asafo Akyeampong conducted the iconic evangelistic campaign of 1985. The preacher was supported in song ministration by the Youth Evangelical Singers (YES) and King’s Ambassadors of Madina Central SDA Church. The first fruits of the evangelistic campaign were five (5) persons, namely the late Elder Asaah Asare, Esther Boatemaa (now Mrs. Wallace Danquah), Mrs. Gifty Ohene Konadu, Sister Clotilda and Torgbor Obodai.
Organisation into a Company Church Status
The first Sabbath worship service of the new Company of Adventist believers after the evangelistic campaign was held at the Akuafo Dining Hall, University of Ghana on December 14, 1985. Thus, December 14, 1985 is the birthday of the first church which became known as Staff Village SDA Church. However, on the third Sabbath, the place of worship was relocated to the classroom complex of the Legon Staff Village Primary School.
By December 1987, eleven other persons had been baptized, bringing active church membership to twenty-one (21). Two baby girls had also been born into the Church. Mrs. Comfort Sarquah (then Ms. Comfort Antwi) who used to worship at the Nsawam SDA Church, was the first person to have her membership transferred to the Staff Village SDA Church. To augment the membership drive, the Church requested for the transfer of the membership of the core group of worshippers at the Staff Village Church from their former places of worship. Consequently, on February 16, 1988, requests were made to the Madina Central SDA Church for the membership transfer of the following members: Elder Safo Ntim, Mrs. Florence Safo Ntim, Elder Joshua Owusu-Agyemang, Elder Macarious Abofoah, Ms. Comfort Agbezudor, Mr. Loveland Owusu Agyapong Ensaw, Mr. James Nyantakyi and Elder Kwesi Aniagyei. Again, in March 1989, a request was sent to the Madina Central SDA Church on behalf of Sister Gladys Lartey. Similarly, membership transfer requests were made to the Bibiani SDA Church on the membership of the late Mrs. Mary Twum Barimah (Nee Mary Asantewaa) in March 1989.