President John Dramani Mahama on Monday called for effective partnership that would propel the physical and spiritual needs of the people between the state and the Church.

He added: “Government will continue to see the development interventions the Church has over the years rendered as complementary and not a competition.”

President Mahama made this call when the Reverend Father Campbell led a delegation from the Christ the King Parish to pay a ‘neighbourly’ visit to the Flagstaff House, Kanda.

The Parish is the second organization in the neigbourhood of the Flagstaff House to have called on the president at the Presidency to officially welcome him to the area.

The first was some selected staff and pupils of the Flagstaff House Basic School, a few months ago.

President Mahama lauded the Catholic Church for embarking on educational, health and agricultural projects, and said the government would continue to partner it in uplifting the people from their development challenges.

He also noted the role of the Church in the protection of human rights, stressing that some times when society was afraid to speak up on matters of national significance, the Church took the bull by the horns in stating its position on the issues.

President Mahama noted that the government’s quest to deepen diplomatic relations with the Vatican recently resulted in the appointment of an envoy to represent the interest of the nation there.

The president expressed the hope that the new Pope would continue in the traditions of his predecessors and bring about some more vibrancy in the activities of the Roman Catholic Church.

He noted that the Christ the King Parish was one of the most developed in the Catholic parish system. The president also noted that its school was one of the most coveted in view of its moral education and guidance aside its quality education.

He commended Father Campbell for his various charitable works in support of the needy and the vulnerable in society including soliciting assistance to the Leprosarium and the Children’s Hospital.

President Mahama said government would consider putting up more children hospitals preferably in Kumasi and Tamale, to expand pediatric treatment.

Father Campbell indicated that the Parish was happy to have a distinguished neighbor and enumerated activities by the Church aimed at edifying the spiritual upbringing of its flock.

He also lauded President Mahama for supporting the Church to take care of the needy in the basic, secondary and tertiary institutions, orphanages and lepers in the country.