Archbishop of Canterbury lauds religious tolerance in Ghana
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby, has lauded the level of religious tolerance among Ghanaians, which he said was of a high level and a model for other countries to emulate.
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Archbishop Welby, who was granted audience by the Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, at the Flagstaff House in Accra yesterday, stressed the need for the citizenry to maintain that achievement.
The Archbishop, who was accompanied by his spouse, Caroline, and other clergymen from the Anglican Church, told the Vice-President that his mission to the country was primarily to visit the Primate of the Church of West Africa, the Most Reverend Dr Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, and to seek his wisdom and understanding on matters relating to the church.
Archbishop Welby explained that on assuming office in March 2013, he had committed himself to paying visits to all the Anglican primates and their provinces within 18 months, to express solidarity, build bonds and seek to understand the work of Anglican churches in their local context.
He expressed delight at the prevailing peace in the country and remarked that “the way in which the country works and functions is inspirational”.
Conflicts
The Archbishop said in his encounter with some religious heads and traditional authorities, including the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Shaributu and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, he decried the numerous religious and political conflicts that had ravaged some African countries.
He had earlier attended the National Inter-faith Dialogue Conference at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in Kumasi, where he spoke on 'Maintaining Peace in Challenging Times'.
Vice-President
Mr Amissah-Arthur congratulated the Archbishop on his elevation to the high office and wished him well in the discharge of his duties.
He used the occasion to call on heads of religious bodies to encourage their followers to join in the maiden national sanitation day today and the subsequent ones, to help rid the country of filth.
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