Ghana, Vatican To Cooperate On Climate Crisis, Human Trafficking, Health Promotion And Human Dignity

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said Ghana looks forward to continuing to work with the Vatican to address the pressing issues of the climate crisis, human trafficking, and the promotion of health and human dignity. .

President Akufo-Addo said that as partners and friends, Ghana and the Vatican share the same principles of promoting religious freedom, human rights, democracy and equality for all.

Speaking at a program to mark the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' pontificate in Accra in March 2013, President Akufo-Addo marked two milestones in the relationship between Ghana and the Catholic Church this year (2023).

The President said that 10 years ago, in 2013, Ghana established its first diplomatic mission in the Vatican and appointed its first ambassador, HE James Kwame Bebaako-Mensahi Ambassador of Ghana to the Holy See.

President Akufo-Addo revealed that 2023 marks the half century of establishment of the Apostolic Mission in Ghana and Nigeria where the current Apostolic Nuncio (Embassy of the Holy See) in Ghana is established.

Before the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Ghana and the Pontificate in 1976, he said, Catholic missionaries arrived in Ghana and the Gold Coast in 1828 for evangelical work.

According to the president, this "laid the foundations for the cordial relations enjoyed by our two peoples today". Relationships are based on trust and mutual respect.

The relationship between Ghana and the Catholic Church for over a century has led the Church to engage and contribute to the socio-economic development of Ghana in various areas of the country's development.

The Catholic Church, according to President Akufo-Addo, has built about 5,000 primary schools, 80 high and technical schools, 40 vocational schools, 13 training institutes, two university colleges and a mature self-sufficient university.

"Forty-nine hospitals, 94 clinics and 11 health education institutes also make the Catholic Church one of the main partners in the development of the country's health sector," he said.

On his 10th anniversary as pope, President Akufo-Addo said Pope Francis has spoken out against discrimination and exploitation, especially of people in Africa and the Middle East, and has often called for world peace.

According to the president, Pope Francis spoke out against the world full of greed and called on humanity to be a better garden than creation by protecting the environment.

"Our current world situation challenges us all to surrender to his vision and conviction as a man of peace", he congratulated Pope Francis, celebrating the tenth anniversary of his election as bishop of Rome and head of the universal Catholic Church.

President Akufo-Addo expressed Ghana's gratitude to the Vatican for its support for the repatriation and burial of the mortal remains of Cardinal Richard Kuya Baawobre, who died on November 27, 2022.

He said the deaths of Cardinal Kuuia Baavobre and Cardinal Peter Derry had created a vacuum and he fervently hoped that other Ghanaian bishops would rise to leadership positions at the Vatican, including those called to the College of Cardinals.

True to his word and consistent with his defense of the poor, in February 2014, according to President Akufo-Addo, Pope Francis created 19 new cardinals, many of them from the world's poorest countries.

2003 In October, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, President Akufo-Addo had the privilege and honor of being part of a Ghanaian government delegation led by Prime Minister JH Mensah, who supported Pietro Appio Tacson in Rome under Pope John. Felix Paul II to the status of cardinal.

"I look forward to another visit to the Vatican, this time as the President of Ghana," said President Akufo-Addo.

He said Ghanaians still remember Pope John Paul II as part of his first pastoral visit to Africa in May 1980 and as Ghana celebrated the centenary of Catholicism.

“It is with the same enthusiasm that Ghanaians hope to soon welcome the visit of Pope Francis during his visits to Africa,” he added.

The Apostolic Nuncio of Ghana, Reverend Henry Michisław Jagodinski, for his part, said that in the context of his recent visit to Congo and South Sudan, Pope Francis spoke out against violence, poverty, human trafficking and exploitation of Africans.

According to him, Pope Francis' visit to these African countries should inspire hope and contribute to peace, especially to enable peace in these two warring African countries.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

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