The History

The Presbyterian Church of Ghana, New Legon (Oko) Congregation owes its birth to the early missionary evangelistic campaigns which led to the opening of many missionary stations including the Legon Station (situated at where we now have the University of Ghana). It was then a small village and the central focal point of worship for the outlying villages and the natives who had been converted to the Christian faith.

The initial station opened by the Missionaries at the Legon village could not last beyond 1918. This was due to the hostile attitude meted out to the villagers by the First World War Veterans camped near the village. The soldiers in some cases destroyed their crop farms and personal belongings. The hostility of the soldiers was such that the inhabitants deserted the village. This seriously affected the work of the Missionaries leading to the collapse of the Missionary Station at Legon village. Some of the brethren found their way to Nsawam, Abelemkpe, Apenkwa, Teshie and Osu to put up with their Christian brothers and sisters. However, one of them. Nathaniel Nii Mensah-Fio Quartey and his family journeyed towards the western end of the fallen Legon village. They settled on a part of the family land close to the Accra Nsawam railway line, near Dome. Nathaniel Nii Mensah-Fio Quartey, first named the new settlement Bethany but later changed it to New Legon to indicate the origin of this new settlement.

Some relatives later joined Mr. Quartey and his family at the new settlement. In order to maintain their Christian faith, they joined the Presbyterian Church at Apenkwa. Between 1925 and 1956 the Christian brethren at the new settlement worshiped with the congregation at Apenkwa. As walking to and from Apenkwa for worship every Sunday became a challenge for many of them due to old age, the New Legon (Oko) Congregation was started to cater for these ageing brethren. The first church service was held on Sunday, 12th February, 1956 with an initial membership of 32, made of 13 adults and 19 children. The service was conducted under a neem tree between the houses of Nii Mensah-Fio Quartey and John Boi Quartey. However, it was not until 1958 that all the Presbyterians at village joined the church at New Legon and stop worshipping at Apenkwa.

Prominent among the pioneering members were: Emmanuel Kofi Quartey. Emmanuel Kwatey-Anku Quartey and John Boi Quartey. Out of these three presons, Emmanuel Kofi Quartey was selected and appointed as the first Lay Preacher of the Church whilst the remaining two and some few others were chosen to play the role of Church Elders. Between 1957 and 1958 the leadership of the church saw the urgent need to build a permanent chapel to house its members. By the grace of God, the chapel was completed by the 2nd day of August, 1958. This chapel was dedicated to the glory of God in December 1958, by the Rev. R.F.Mantey, then District Pastor of Adabraka.

In 1991 the Session led by the Catechist, Mr. Christopher Coffie Sai saw the need to construct a new and bigger chapel to accommodate the increasing membership of the congregation. The decision of the Session came to effect on 28 March 1993 when the Rev. Lt. Col. S.O.Y. Adade (rtd.) officiated at the sod-cutting ceremony for the new chapel building. On 10 October, 1996, the Council of Elders of the New Legon (Oko) township made a cash donation of ten million Cedis towards construction of the new chapel building. In 1999 the congregation moved from the old to the new chapel while it was still under construction.

In 1997 under the leadership of Catechist C.C. Sai and the Senior Presbyter D. N.Ogum the Congregation at New Legon (Oko) planted and nurtured the New Ashongman Congregation (now Gilgal Congregation in the Haatso District) The idea to start a school complex, consisting of a Nursery, a Kindergarten, a Primary and Junior High School came up in 2008 when the Rev. E. N. Okwei was the Minister-in charge. This was materialized during the tenure of the Rev. Dr. Joseph Apea Assamoah. On 2 November 2009 the late Catechist James Appiah performed a brief ceremony for the commencement of the school. The School which started in the Chapel with 18 pupils, 6 volunteers consisting of 2 teachers, I attendant and 4 kitchen staff now has 178 pupils, 11 teachers and 5 non-teaching staff. The Church commenced the building of a three-storey (a four-floor) classroom block for the school in December 2012. On the partial completion of four (4) classrooms, the School moved from the Chapel into the classrooms in November 2015. We are grateful to the Lord for the fruits of the labour of the people of God.