Catholic Church Committed to Poor, Vulnerable – Nuncio

The Most Rev. Henryk M. Jagodzinki, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, has reiterated that the Catholic Church is committed to the protection and assistance to the vulnerable irrespective of their origin or religious belief. He said vulnerable people including displaced persons, the poor and people considered unwanted were dear to Pope Francis and who constantly advocates and demand alleviation and support for such people. The Nuncio said this when he paid a courtesy call on Mr. Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister at his office in Bolgatanga as part of his visit to the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese. Archbishop Jagodzinski commended the government of Ghana, other stakeholders and partners for accepting and supporting asylum seekers from Burkina Faso who sought refuge from suspected terrorists attacks in Burkina Faso. He indicated that most of the attention of people and institutions globally was directed at the wars in Ukaine and Gaza with little attention paid to the extremists' attacks and the asylum seekers' host countries like Ghana. He noted that as part of strategies to provide for the poor, Pope Francis had established the Dicastery of Integral Human Development, a special office for the promotion development of humanity, especially the vulnerable. The Nuncio called for stronger collaboration between the Catholic Church, the government and other stakeholders to continue to provide protection and support to vulnerable and displaced persons to live dignified lives. Mr. Yakubu revealed that more than 1,160 asylum seekers had been relocated to the reception and resettlement Centre in the region and commended the Catholic Church especially the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese for contributing to handling the situation. The Minister, however, raised the concern that some of the asylum seekers have refused to move to the centres, creating suspicion about the true state of being ‘asylum seekers’. Archbishop Jagodzinski also visited the Reception and Resettlement Centres of asylum seekers at Tarikom in the Bawku West District to experience first-hand the situation at the centres. In a homily at a Mass at the Centre, the Nuncio encouraged the asylum seekers not to despair but hope and trust in God. “Although we are here in a foreign country, far away from our homeland, we know that God is with us and guides us on our journey. We are here as refugees from Burkina Faso, seeking refuge and hope in Ghana. Leaving our homes because of violence, poverty and hardship, we have come here in search of a better tomorrow for our families and ourselves. Our hearts may be heavy and our souls full of longing for what we have left behind, but in this moment of gathering together as a community of faith, we find strength and comfort in Christ”, he said. The Nuncio continued: “In Jesus, we find hope and comfort in our difficulties. His love is our support in a foreign land, and his promise of eternal life gives us courage in the face of difficulties. As a community of itinerants, in this liturgical season of Lent, we are called to reflect on our lives, to convert and to renew our relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters. As we travel in Ghana, let us not forget that God is with us every step of the way, guiding and protecting us.” He expressed gratitude to Most. Rev. Alfred Agyenta, Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese for this invitation to visit the camp. “I take also this opportunity to express to Him and his collaborators the gratitude, on behalf of Pope Francis, for what you are doing for the refugees,” he added. He donated boxes of washing and bathing soap, toothpaste and brushes among other items to the asylum seekers. The Nuncio was accompanied on both visits by Bishop Agyenta, some Priests and Officials of the Diocese. In the early parts of 2023, multiple suspected terrorists' attacks on Bugri, Zoago and Zabre other border communities in Burkina Faso compelled more than 4,000 at the time to flee to Ghana and spread across several communities in Bawku Municipal, Bawku West and Binduri Districts. The UNHCR, a UN Refugee Agency in collaboration with the Ghana Refugee Board led a comprehensive humanitarian response leading to the relocation of the asylum seekers to Tarikom where 12 hectares of land has been provided for their settlement. Through collaboration with agencies of the government of Ghana and other organisations such as World Vision, Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organaisation among others, the UNHCR constructed reception and resettlement centres with various amenities for the asylum seekers. Unemployment Rate in Ghana Rising – Report The unemployment rate in Ghana has risen to 14.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2023, according to the Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). This figure is a 1.1 percent rise from the 2022 figure of 14.6. The number of unemployed youth aged between 15 and 35 rose from about 1.2 million to over 1.3 million during the same period with the rate among females consistently higher than males. The report highlighted a progressive widening of the unemployment gap between urban and rural areas throughout the initial three quarters of 2023. Notably, in the second and third quarters, urban unemployment rates were nearly twice as high as those in rural areas. Examining regional variations, only four regions namely Eastern, Bono East, Oti, and Upper West reported unemployment rates below the national average across all quarters. Conversely, Greater Accra and the Ashanti region consistently experienced unemployment rates surpassing the national average during this timeframe. High unemployment in Ghana is attributed to a misalignment between education and the skills demanded by the labour market and the availability of jobs.