The Holy See has had contacts with the people of Ghana, especially, with the Catholic Faithful and Religious, for well over a century now. Indeed, the Holy See established diplomatic relations with Ghana for well over Forty (40) years now, with a resident representation in Accra. Ghana, on her part, reciprocated by concurrently accrediting its Ambassador in Paris to the Holy See until 2013, when Ghana demonstrated its commitment to the long standing relations with the Holy See and the importance it attaches to these relations, by establishing a Resident Mission at the Vatican.
The Holy See, and for that matter the Catholic Church, has been a very special and unique development partner with the Government and people of Ghana for over a century. Some of our best educational and health institutions were established by the Church. Indeed, quite a sizeable number of our former and present members of Government, and practitioners in all sectors of the Ghanaian society, were proud products of Catholic Institutions. A remarkable feature of the Catholic Church in Ghana is that, a large number of the Catholic health and educational institutions are established in remote areas of our country, rendering quality health service and education to the rural people. But for the Catholic Church, these rural people would otherwise not receive such world class health services and education.
Also, I am proud to announce that Ghana has a very worthy representative in the Prefecture of the Holy See, in the person of His Eminence Peter Kwodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson, Cardinal-Priest of San Liborio and Prefect of the Decastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. For this, Ghana is grateful to the Holy Father and thankful to God.