Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A) June 2, GNA - Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, Dormaahene (Paramount chief) of Dormaa Ahenkro Traditional Area, has honoured the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, the Most Reverend Leon Kalenga, by naming a boy delivered at the Presbyterian Hospital in Dormaa Ahenkro after him.

The child, Leon Kofi Kalenga, would be groomed by the Dormaa Traditional Council, while the Apostolic Nuncio has expressed his readiness to cater for his education up to the university level. The Apostolic Nuncio, as part of his five-day visit to Brong Ahafo Region, called on Catholic faithfuls at Wamfie, Wamanafo and Dormaa-Ahenkro parishes to let their faith in Christ and the Catholic Church guide them in all endeavours. The Nuncio was received at the Dormaahene's palace amidst traditional drumming and dancing. Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu commended the Apostolic Nuncio for being the first black African Nuncio to be posted to Ghana and acknowledged the Catholic Church's tremendous contributions to Ghana's development.

The Omanhene noted that the church had excelled in the provision of quality education, health facilities and potable water in the Dormaa Traditional Area.

He briefed the Nuncio on how the traditional council functioned and emphasised that though the council primarily promoted tradition, most of its chiefs and queen mothers were Christians and attended church regularly. Osagyefo Agyeman Badu pledged the council's unflinching support to the Catholic Church's development and social activities and urged the Council, the Church and the State to close ranks to improve on the spiritual and material well-being of Ghanaians. The Most Rev. Kalenga commended Ghanaians for having gone through several multi-party elections without plunging the nation into chaos and anarchy.

He stressed: "As Ghanaians you may not feel the actual impact of your democratic processes, but those of us from outside see comparatively peaceful and enviable governance in your country." He said he had observed during his relatively short stay in Ghana that even though chiefs were not allowed to engage in active politics, they had a tremendous role to play in the governance of the nation. The Apostolic Nuncio appealed to parents, religious bodies and local council authorities, to take steps to ensure that all children of school-going age were enrolled and maintained in school. This way, he explained, talents in the future leaders could be tapped to enable them to contribute meaningfully towards the nation's prosperity.

Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, urged the people to unite for the growth of the church and the traditional area.

He advised them to avoid acts that had the potential to draw them closer to diseases.

"While you pray ceaselessly for the attainment of your humble requests from God, do not forget to observe basic environmental hygiene, moral chastity and general discipline in your life," he said.