In Ghana, mission accompaniment of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its predecessors, is with the Good News College and Theological Seminary (GNCTS), formerly known as the Good News Training Institute. This institute, founded in 1971 for the training of pastors and church leaders, had as its goal to offer training to leadership of churches in West Africa. The GNCTS receives from the ELCA and the Mennonite Mission Board scholarships as well as other financial assistance. The ELCA does not have an official relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana, which missionaries of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod started in 1958.
The ELCA does not have a relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia. This church, founded in 1999, does not appear to have any kind of relationship with an overseas partner church. It does though have a relationship with the Lutheran Church of Senegal.
In 1988, the first year of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, its Division for Global Mission (DGM) work related to mission accompaniment in the Ghana fell under the responsibility of one of three secretaries for Africa, the Rev. Daniel W. Olson. In 1989, the Africa program area was further defined and Pastor Olson was named the Secretary for Africa (English-speaking). In 1992, work areas remained essentially the same, but terminology changed. The term "secretary" was replaced with "program director" and the area previously known as English-speaking Africa became English-speaking West Africa and Southern Africa. Pastor Olson remained the program director of this area until 1999 when the Rev. Benyam A. Kassahun assumed responsibility. In 2003 when a restructuring occurred in DGM, responsibility for Ghana work was placed in the West Africa program area and the West Africa and Southern Africa program areas became separate work areas. The Rev. Eva Jensen became program director for West Africa in 2003, a position she still holds as of 2008.
From the description of Gambia and Ghana Records 1982-2002; 1988-2002 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 191046059
