“We should all be one as Ghanaians to propel holistic national development,” President Akufo-Addo appealed when he briefly addressed the Priests and congregation of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church at the end of a “Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost” on Sunday at Nkwabeng, a suburb in Sunyani.

In the tradition of the Catholic Church, the feast of the Solemnity of Pentecost is celebrated as Pentecost Sunday, signifying the day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles of Jesus Christ and Mary, His Mother over 2000 years ago.

The event occurred 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and 10 days after his ascension to heaven and it is observed annually by the Church universally as the birthday of the Church and beginning of Christianity.

The President attended the church service officiated by Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi  Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani to commence the third leg of his three-day working visit to the Brong-Ahafo Region.

Other co-celebrants of the Mass included Reverend Father Raphael Amoako Tawiah, the Parish Priest and the Sunyani Catholic Diocesan Financial Administrator and Reverend Father James Ackah, a lecturer at the Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre in the Sunyani West District.

Among Nana Akufo-Addo’s entourage were Mr. Dan Botwe, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere and Minister for Regional Reorganisation and Development, Oheneba Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi, the Chair, National Infrastructural Development Board and Mr. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister.

Others were Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, MP for Sunyani West and Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Mr. Thomas Adu-Appiah, the Regional Chairman, New Patriotic Party, some Deputy Ministers and Municipal/District Chief Executives. 

Nana Akufo-Addo stated that “Ghana is endowed with good things and a lot of natural resources” and therefore, expressed the hope that “if unity prevails among us”, the nation would flourish in its socio-economic development.

He therefore called for concerted efforts among Ghanaians to develop the country, saying no division but unity in diversity for the sake of national interest. Most Rev. Gyamfi earlier in a homily emphasised the need for all Ghanaians to support President Akufo-Addo for the effective and successful implementation of his policies and programmes for total and speedy socio-economic progress of the nation.

“We are obliged to support the President to implement his policies and programmes for the benefit of all Ghanaians,” the Bishop stressed. This, he explained was because the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost signified peace and love of God to mankind in diverse forms of spiritual gifts, talents and professional knowledge must be used to enhance the lives of the people, he added.

Most Rev. Gyamfi however, called on all as a society to deal with each other in the osphere of honesty, transparency and truthfulness.  The Holy Spirit Parish is celebrating its 20 years anniversary this year and President Akufo-Addo donated GHC20, 000.00 towards the funding of its on-going infrastructural development projects.