St. Barbara Catholic Church

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Saint Barbara Catholic Church
Native name
Italian: Santa Barbara "Church"
St Barbara Catholic Church.JPG
Saint Barbara Catholic Church captured from the frontage
TypeCatholic church
Location Akosombo, Eastern Region, Ghana
Coordinates 6°18′0″N0°3′0″E / 6.30000°N 0.05000°E / 6.30000; 0.05000 Coordinates: 6°18′0″N0°3′0″E / 6.30000°N 0.05000°E / 6.30000; 0.05000
Built1962

Saint Barbara Catholic Church, also known as Santa Barbara Catholic Church and Akosombo Catholic Church, is a small church situated at one of the highest points in Akosombo, Ghana, overlooking the Akosombo Dam. It was constructed in September 1962 by Impregilo SPA in 21 days. It was built as a place of worship by the staff of Impregilo during the building of the dam. [1] Subsequently, a memorial plaque was placed in the church to honor the 28 staff of Impregilo SPA who died building the dam. [2]

Contents

Origin and inspiration

The church was named after and dedicated to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of the contractors who built the dam and the church. The Church was built to provide a worshipping place and also host the then Archbishop of Milan, Giovanni Battista Montini, who later became Pope Paul VI. He was visiting Ghana that year.

The church, which was completed in 21 days, was designed to resemble praying hands.

Akosombo Dam memorial

This is a memorial plaque in the St. Barbara church in memory of 28 staff of Impregilo SPA that died building the Akosombo Dam. A memorial plaque in the St. Barbara church.JPG
This is a memorial plaque in the St. Barbara church in memory of 28 staff of Impregilo SPA that died building the Akosombo Dam.

A memorial plaque sits in the church in memory of 28 staff of Impregilo SPA that died building the Akosombo Dam, 12 of whom died in an explosion.

Victims of February 15, 1966 explosion

On the February 15th 1966 at 7:15am, there was an explosion at the Akosombo Dam's site. It was suspected that a heavy and unexpected build- up of methane gas or natural gas within one of the tunnels in the dam caused the explosion. The gas was possibly ignited by the lighting of a welding torch. 18 people were in the tunnel at the time of the explosion. 12 died from shock from burns. [3]

Heroes of Akosombo

Victim NamePositionDate of DeathNationality
Sam K.ObengElectrician24/12/1961Ghanaian
Yaw Kuma HodoagbeFitter22/7/1962Ghanaian
Kwesi MensahBlaster24/8/1962Ghanaian
Isaac AppentengLabourer2/4/1962Ghanaian
Elli EluLabourer4/5/1963Ghanaian
Evotsi AyawoWelder16/4/1963Ghanaian
Moro ZabramaExcavator Operator11/7/1963
Fidelis MakpilHaulpak Driver28/8/1963Ghanaian
John K. ShebrahForeman6/1/1964Ghanaian
Zakari HausaChecker27/2/1964Ghanaian
Joseph TettehDriller15/7/1964Ghanaian
Atia TongoHead Driller16/7/1964Ghanaian
Kwame HayiborLabourer27/7/1965Ghanaian
Salifu ZuguLabourer25/3/1965Ghanaian
Haruna MyarkuFitter26/6/1965Ghanaian
Emmanuel KwameCaterpillar Operator27/11/1965Ghanaian
Edmund K. AborosoHead Welder15/2/1966Ghanaian
Mahamadu Kotokoli15/2/1966Ghanaian
Johannes MawukpeCarpenter15/2/1966Ghanaian
Hunor TeiCarpenter15/2/1966Ghanaian
Kofi GbekuCarpenter15/2/1966Ghanaian
Agbodemegbe KofiCarpenter Apprt15/2/1966Ghanaian
Arakenu FrafraLabourer15/2/1966Ghanaian
Djobuah TettehCarpenter15/2/1966Ghanaian
Martin AyimaduElectrician15/2/1966Ghanaian
Angelo ZangrandoCarpenter15/2/1966Italian
Ferruccio BigoniGeneral Superintendent22/2/1966Italian
Joseph Afum AduCarpenter22/2/1966Ghanaian
Volta lake from the Saint Barbara Church.JPG
Volta Lake from the Saint Barbara Church

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References

  1. The Ghanaian Times, September 29, 2012, Michael Danso. "Akosombo Catholic Church is 50 years" Accra, p. 19
  2. Moxon, James (1984). Volta: Man's Greatest Lake. Andre Deutsch. pp. 235–243. ISBN   0233977171.
  3. Moxon, James (1984). Volta: Man's Greatest Lake. Andre Deutsch. pp. 235–243. ISBN   0233977171.