Retirement service has been held in honour of God’s servant, Rev. Kwodwo Nissi Diafo, and wife, Mrs. Rosemond Jane Diafo on 29th May 2021 at Newlife Chapel Assemblies of God, Tema-Newtown in Greater Accra East Region. The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries including the General Treasurer, Rev. Dr. Sam Ato Bentil who officiated the ceremony with support from the Regional Executives of the region. In attendance were also ministers from the Accra East region, Tema district and a host of well-wishers across the length and breadth of the country to grace the ceremony.

The Celebrants, Rev. Kwadwo Nissi Diafo and Mrs. Rosemond Jane Diafo

Rev. Diafo until his retirement was the Head Pastor of Newlife Chapel Assemblies of God, Tema-Newtown in the Tema District of Accra East. He served for 28 years in this noble organization and held several positions. The profile below highlights the ministerial works and other achievements of Rev. Nissi Diafo.

PROFILE OF REV. DIAFO

Rev. Kwodwo Nissi Diafo was born on Monday, 14th November 1955. His parents, Mr. George Ernest Granite Arthur and Mrs. Joana Adwoa Mensiwah Arthur were living at the Railway Quarters, Agbobloshie, Accra, but relocated to the new Railway Quarters at Abossey Ojai, near Pepsi Cola factory soon after his birth. He is the fourth of eight siblings made up of four males and four females.
He started his primary education in 1961 at the Roman Catholic school, New Takoradi where his father had been transferred. He was always top of his class and a Class Prefect. He came to complete his Middle School education at Kaneshie West Six Mixed with Distinction from 1967 to 1971. He was involved in school athletics and a half back in the school team.
Rev. Kwodwo Nissi Diafo passed the Common Entrance Examination and was enrolled in Saint John’s Secondary School, Sekondi on Government Scholarship. He was among the top three in his class from Form one to five. He won several certificates in athletic field events in his school and represented his School at inter- College athletic competitions in the Western Region. He also represented his school in the first-ever inter- Colleges Competition in the French language and came second in the Western Region. Again he played a halfback on the School team. He also was the first President of the Voluntary Forced, a Club formed in the School to perform several jobs for the School. He completed his ‘O’ Levels in 1976 after five years.
In 1976 after his first term in Sixth Form at Saint Peter’s Secondary School, Kwahu Nkwatia, precisely, 31st December, he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord in the local assembly of the Church of Pentecost, North Kaneshie.
Rev. Kwodwo Nissi Diafo was employed in 1979 by the Ministry of Local and Rural Development, Inspectorate Division and posted to Bolgatanga, Upper Region, then Goaso in the Bring-Ahafo Region. He resigned from his job and enrolled full-time in Hope Institute of Theology as a student to be well equipped for the ministry of the gospel in 1982. He met his faithful and virtuous wife while in school. He pastored the Kaneshie branch of the Apostolic Reformed Church at this time and raised many some of who are Pastors and Minister’s wives today. He continued to Faith Fellowship Bible Institute where he graduated in 1984 with 3 diplomas, two of which qualified him to teach in the Institute. Later, he rose to become the Principal of the institute in 1986. During the period of being the Principal, many signs, wonders, and miracles were performed by Lord through him. He also acquired some 10 plots of land behind Mendskrom Motel, MacCarthy Hill for the future development of the School.
In 1990, the Lord instructed Rev. Nissi to go to the field and raise ministers for Him. Specifically, the Lord God instructed him to go to Rev. Dr. Harry Insaidoo and tell him, “I want integration into the Assemblies of God”. After participating in a lay workers course in 1991, I was asked to take care of the Sakaman branch while their student Pastor was at SGBC. In 1992 I was enrolled at SGBC, where I took part in all doctrinal classes. I was graduated in November, with the 3rd year class that same year, and was posted to Tema New Town on 17th January 1993 to help a troubled Church stabilize. I was appointed the first, District Secretary/Treasurer of Tema District Assemblies of God Churches. Immediately, I set up accounts books and got files for the District, and operated both the local and District office from the mission house hired for my family. From 1994-2000, the Ada-Fosh, Bid Ada, Kasseih, churches were revamped and strengthened under the able Leadership of Rev. Gabriel Quarcoo Dzisa, the then-District Pastor through Easter Conventions. Also, the Sege Church was established. From 2004, he resumed again as the District Treasurer became, the District Secretary and later, the District Pastor. His stewardship till he declined to continue as the District Pastor on a matter of principle. He served the Greater Accra Region as Arbitration Committee Secretary and brought a renovation in reportage of proceedings.
He was tasked to write a proposal for the Retirement of ministers in Tema District, and his proposal was recommended for adoption by the national Church by Rev. W.W. Dontoh of blessed memory, even though the second portion of getting the retired minister and family a place to fellowship was neglected.

Rev. Kwadwo Nissi Diafo

Rev. Diafo has held various positions including:

  1. 1994-2000 – First District Secretary/Treasurer. Set up accounts books and office files to run the Secretariat from my house. We hired an office at Community 4 and furnished it with a standing fan, two office desks and chairs, a typewriter, and a wall clock. We bought a guitar, keyboard organ, and a generator plus electric wires for District conventions. Ada Fish, Big Ada, Kasseih churches were revamped and strengthened through Easter Conventions. Sege Church was established during this time.
  2. Became District Treasurer only from 2004 – 2008. New District Convention Platform was constructed through my initiative. The Ada District was carved out of the Tema District. New Bingo Church was birthed and Old Bingo Church revamped and strengthened. Prampram Church has strengthened as well as Kokompe and Dawhenya Churches. Bethel A/G was established, Mission Sanctuary, Gateway, Dominion, and Community 9 Churches came into being.
  3. 2008- 2014 became District Secretary. New District Office was hired at Community 1 near the Tema Eye Clinic. Two ceiling fans, two air conditioning units as well as three office desks, 3 office swivel chairs, one computer, account books, and new office files were acquired to facilitate records keeping and accurate report writing. The office was later relocated to Central A/G, Community 4 premise.
  4. Became District Pastor from 2014-2018. Declined to continue on the principle that his next tenure could not be consumed because he would retire about 2 years later.
  5. He served also as the Tellers Committee Chairman, from 1998 to 2018. He was also the Chairman of the Electoral College till 2018 for Greater Accra. He served as the Parliamentarian in most of the Regional Council meetings.

The following are the Achievements of Rev. Diafo:

  1. Acquired a parcel of land at Manhean last stop which is meant for school complex, vocational and technical skills training, shops and mission house
  2. Built Newlife A/G Chapel Bankuman, Tema Newtown with a seating capacity of about four hundred and fifty (450)
  3. Established Newlife Complex School Ltd. Registered Private Institution with a population of more than three hundred (300) pupils.
  4. Formed alliance or partnership with Compassion International Ghana, which gave birth to Newlife Child and Youth Development Centre since September 2006. The Frontline Church Partner (FCP) has two hundred and thirty (230) beneficiaries. This intervention aims releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ Name.
  5. Acquired Welfare Bus for Newlife Assemblies of God Church for commercial purpose
  6. Acquired Bus for Newlife Assemblies of God Women’s Ministry for commercial purpose.

The following pastors were trained by Rev. Diafo:

  1. Rev. Joseph Kojo Ahunya
  2. Rev. Gerogina Abotsi
  3. Rev. Joshua Agbodekah
  4. Rev. Rtd. Charles Kingsley Agyapong-Essibrah
  5. Rev. Nicholas Kobina Atta- Quaye
  6. Rev. Bismark Kwaku Mayisi
  7. Rev. Vincent Kwame Owusu
  8. Pastor Courage Kwame Ayitey
  9. Student Pastor Henry Quayson
  10. Evangelist Patrick Kwame Anderson and
  11. Rev. Joseph Amanor Ntow (of Blessed Memory)

During the ministerial work of Rev. Diafo, the following churches were planted and supported. He mobilized local resources and logistics to plant eight (8) other churches namely;

  • Oasis of Christ Assemblies of God Church, Tobloku-Ada
  • Gateway Assemblies of God Church-Tema New Town
  • Miracle Temple Assemblies of God Church-Kpone Kokompe
  • Resurrection Centre A/G Church Community Two
  • Dominion Centre Assemblies of God Church-PS Global Community 25
  • Blessed Assurance Assemblies of God Church-Gbetsele
  • Favoured Assemblies of God Church Miotso (Prampram) among others.