Cardinal Wilfred Fox Napier (L) and Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang (R)
Cardinal Wilfred Fox Napier, OFM, the Special Envoy of Pope Leo XIV, has praised Ghana for its vibrant church and progressive national development.
The Cardinal, who is on an official visit to Ghana as part of his mission from the Holy See, paid a courtesy call on the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang as part of activities marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in Ghana.
Speaking during the visit, the Archbishop Emeritus of Durban, South Africa, Cardinal Napier, lauded Ghana’s commitment to faith, integrity and national progress.
“Ghana should continue doing the wonderful things it is doing. The Church here is vibrant a true sign of how much the country is moving forward,” he remarked.
“Ghana stands out as a leader in Africa. It must continue to show the continent how to run a nation devoid of corruption and filled with purpose,” he added, extending the Holy Father’s blessings to the Government and people of Ghana.
The Vice President, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, in return, expressed appreciation to the Catholic Church for its enduring contributions to Ghana’s human development.
“We thank the Catholic Church for its immense role in shaping education, health, and moral development in Ghana,” she said.
“The Government remains determined to play its part and leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” she affirmed.
The courtesy call underscores the Vatican’s goodwill toward the Government and people of Ghana and reflects the Church’s long-standing collaboration with the State in promoting faith, education, peace and national development.
The 75th anniversary marks a historic milestone, recalling April 18, 1950, when Pope Pius XII elevated Cape Coast to the rank of an Archdiocese and created the Dioceses of Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Keta, thereby formally organizing the Catholic Church’s hierarchy in Ghana.
Adding his voice, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Bodies, commended the strong bond between the Church and the State, describing it as “a model for faith-based collaboration in Africa.”
“This visit by the Papal Envoy is not only symbolic but deeply spiritual. It reaffirms the Church’s historic role in nation-building and social transformation,” Afriyie Ankrah stated.
“Ghana’s example of religious tolerance and unity continues to inspire hope across the continent. We shall continue to deepen this relationship in the spirit of mutual respect and shared service to humanity,” he added.
The event forms part of a series of national and ecclesiastical activities celebrating the diamond jubilee of the Catholic Church’s hierarchical establishment in Ghana, reaffirming the enduring partnership between faith and governance in shaping the nation’s destiny.
