Mr. Samuel Kofi Dzamesi, Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has given the assurance that Ghana would continue to deepen the Diplomatic Relations with the Holy See to the mutual benefit of the citizens and the people of faith.
“Ghana will continue to co-operate with friendly States such as the Vatican to uphold and promote the values on the African continent and beyond while developing stronger institutions for Good Governance.”
Speaking at a reception at the Apostolic Nunciature on Friday, March 3, to mark the 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Ghana and the Holy See, the Minister said he was confident that the close and long standing relations would continue to be nurtured and further consolidated for the benefit of the two sides.
He said “over the years, we have strengthened close links through our shared interests and areas of co-operation. These linkages have drawn us closer together and widened the spheres of collaboration between our institutions.”
He said “We recognise the visionary roles played by His Excellency Mr. Edward Akufo Addo, President of the Second Republic and Father of our current President, and successive Heads of State, in the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Ghana and the Holy See.”
Mr. Dzamesi, who represented President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo at the reception, thanked the successive leaders of the nation for their visionary leadership.
At the reception was His Eminence Giuseppe Cardinal Bertello, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City, who was in Ghana as Pope Francis’ Special Envoy to Ghana for the 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Ghana and the Holy See; the 60th Anniversary of Ghana’s Independence on March 6 and to presided over the re-consecration of Ghana to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at an Ecumenical and Inter-faith Prayer Session at the Holy Spirit Cathedral on March 4.
The Minister reiterated the high premium Ghana places on its relations with the Vatican, as evidenced in the Government of Ghana’s decision to open a resident Mission to the Holy See in December 2013 and the subsequent visits to the Vatican by prominent Government Officials, including former President John Dramani Mahama in 2014.
Sir James Bebaako-Mensah was the first resident Ambassador at the Vatican.
He declared: “It is worth mentioning that Ghana’s Mission to the Holy See has not only reaffirmed the importance Ghana attaches to the Vatican but also served the interest of millions of Ghanaians belonging to the Catholic Faith, as they are now better informed of the activities of the Pontificate, and are able to access travelling documents, including obtaining visa, through the Mission with much more ease.”
The Minister noted that in Ghana, the Catholic Church had committed itself to a lot of humanitarian and other support programmes, especially in the Sectors of Education and Health.
The Church had over the years contributed immensely to the development of human capital through its numerous educational establishments from Basic to the Tertiary levels, he added.
Mr. Dzamesi said the contribution of the Holy See to Ghana’s politico-socio-economic development could not be over empahsised, commending the many instances that the Church had been emphatic in its role in peace-building.
He recalled the interventions by the Catholic Church in resolving and reconciling aggrieved parties in conflicts and the expert support she offered through her membership role on the Ghana Peace Council.
The Minister lauded the many roles the Catholic Church had played openly and behind the scenes in the past few weeks, in promoting international peace, security and development, particularly, for the proposed charity projects in the Sahel countries, estimated at $37 million.
In his presentation, Archbishop Jean Marie Speich, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, said 40 years ago, Ghana and the Holy See formalized at the Embassy level Diplomatic relations during the reign of General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, the then Head of State.
He noted that the negotiations to establish Diplomatic Relations started a few years before at the very end of the time of Edward Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana and father of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which he described as “a wonderful and unique coincidence and, maybe, it is God’s wish that the present celebration takes place in this particular moment.”
“We can suppose that it is, maybe, because of this amazing coincidence, that His Holiness Pope Francis decided in his most delicate and diplomatic way, to send a Special Envoy in the person of His Eminence Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, the third Nuncio in Ghana and my far predecessor, to attend the celebrations of this 40th Anniversary of the relations, and the 60th of the Independence of Ghana.”
He said at the time of the opening of Diplomatic Relations, His Holiness Paul VI was the Pope, who is now proclaimed blessed and is on the way to be a Saint whose end of Pontificate was uneasy while Ghana was politically troubled.
The Nuncio noted that in spite of this, Ghana and the Holy See decided not to take into consideration the negativity of the dark winds of the time but “a very prophetic decision was taken to open the doors for newness and for the freshness of a relationship which became, in the passing years, excellent not only in the diplomatic sense, but also simply in the human meaning of the word.”
He said the high quality of the relations made Ghana take the decision to open a residential Embassy.
The Catholic Church, he said, came to Ghana for the first time nearly 500 years ago, adding that “The presence disappeared quickly but had come back nearly 150 years ago.”
“Taken into consideration the local political desires and the international needs and situations in which Ghana is well known to be very active, it was normal to establish after the welcomed Independence of this country, Diplomatic Relations between Ghana and the Holy See,” he added.
The Nuncio said Ghana decided to open its diplomatic doors to the Holy See at the Embassy level in an enlightening way, and which was six years ahead of the United Kingdom.”
Archbishop Speich noted that the Apostolic Nunciature was distinct from all other Diplomatic Missions, stressing that “It is common to say – and I hear it so many times- that the Holy See, the Catholic Church, is very concerned about Ghana’s welfare most of all, in human development, in education and in health. It is true that we promote hundreds of projects, numerous Formation Houses and sessions, all kinds of social services all over this country.”
He said the Catholic Church in Ghana possesses more than 4,600 Basic and Secondary Schools, Colleges and Universities in which only 25 percent of the students were Catholics while it also owns more than 27 percent of the health structures in Ghana, Clinics, Hospitals and Dispensaries.
“The contribution of the Catholic Church to Ghana’s development cannot be reduced in numbers, because we deal with persons, persons with wonderful dignity regardless of their origins, tribes and religion. A human person is the noblest being on earth. We believe that he is coming and going to God, for that reason, we want to serve God through him in the best way,” he stated.
By Damian Avevor
