President John Dramani Mahama has described the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI as a courageous act.

President Mahama said this when he met the Steering Committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar.

“We received with shock the decision by His holiness the Pope to resign but we admire his courage as not many people can look within themselves and say that as a result of deteriorating health, which is not making me carry on duties to an optimum, I want to step down so that someone else takes it and continues to push the objective for which our organization exists and I think that is a mark of courage,” he stated.

President Mahama also indicated as part of Ghana’s efforts to strengthen its relation with the Catholic Church, Ghana is setting up a mission in the Vatican.

He says the necessary documentations have been exchanged so far to that effect.

“If that is granted, then it means Ghana will have a presence in the Vatican at a diplomatic level and I’m sure that will be a vehicle for bringing Ghana and the Catholic Church even closer,” he stated.