Ghana News Agency (Accra) – The president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Reverend Phillip Naameh, has called on Ghanaians to approach the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections with peace.
Elections are held to deepen democracy by allowing citizens to choose a leader to champion development, he said, and should not be an avenue to fighting.
Be voices of courage
Speaking at the official welcome Mass in Accra for Monsignor Henryk Mieczyslaw Jagodziński, the new Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Reverend Naameh urged Ghanaians to speak out to civil and religious authorities alike with courage, pointing out hypocrisy and bolstering justice and peace as the nation prepares to go to the polls.
Most Reverend Naameh said peace remains a precondition for rapid socio-economic development. He therefore stressed the need for Ghanaians to be advocates of peace in the lead-up to the polls and charged citizens to shun undemocratic tendencies, including the use of money to influence electoral outcomes.
Most Reverend Naameh said money spent to influence the electorate could be channelled into development projects for the people.
“Such projects will impact the lives of the people better than throwing monies at voters for their votes,” he said.
He urged the new Catholic Nuncio to Ghana to “fear not” in delivering his assignments.
Already at home
Monsignor Henryk Jagodziński, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, extended greetings from Pope Francis to the congregation in Ghana. He said he already feels at home with the love and hospitality shown him by the Church and people in Ghana.
The Nuncio decorated the Archbishop of Accra, His Grace John Bonaventure Kwofie, with a pallium – an ecclesiastical vestment made of wool with six black crosses. The Holy See bestows this on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of their conferred jurisdictional authority.
He also donated liturgical equipment to the Church.
Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle, vice-president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said the Nuncio arrived in the country in September but had to subject himself to COVID-19 protocols as required by the government.
He said the Nuncio had earlier presented his letter of introduction to the president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and his credentials to President Akufo-Addo. The archbishop welcomed the Nuncio to Ghana on behalf of the entire Catholic congregation.
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