Plans are far advanced as the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference prepares to host the 19th Plenary Assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) this July.
The Plenary Assembly which will take place in Accra specifically at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) from the 25th of July, 2022 to the 1st of August, 2022, is guided by the theme; “Ownership of SECAM: Security and Migration in Africa and its Islands”.
The assembly will be bringing together about 130 participants which includes Cardinals, Bishops and representatives of Church Institutions from the continent of Africa, officials from Vatican representing Pope Francis and representatives of Bishops’ Conferences in Europe and the Americas.
At a Press Conference held on Monday, July 4, 2022 at the National Catholic Secretariat in Accra, by the acting Treasurer of SECAM and the Bishop of Keta-Akatsi Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Kumordji, said the Plenary Assembly was scheduled to take place in Burkina Faso but due to the current political instability in that country it was changed Ghana.
“The Assembly was initially scheduled to take place in Burkina Faso but due to the political instability in that country and the non-recognition of the military regime by both the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in that country, the Bishops of Africa found it not expedient to hold their Assembly in that country” he stated.
Bishop Kumordji further said this is not the first time Ghana is hosting the Plenary Assembly of SECAM. The last Ghana hosted was in 2010 to mark the 40th Anniversary of SECAM.
Present at the Press Conference aside Bishop Kumordji was the Secretary General of SECAM, Very Rev. Fr. Terwase Henry Akaabiam and his two deputies, the Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat and members of the planning committee.
SECAM is the acronym of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar. Like national Episcopal conferences, SECAM is an association of Catholic Bishops of Africa and its Islands. It was established on the 29th of July, 1969 by the Prelates who gathered to receive Pope St. Paul VI to Kampala, Uganda, the first Pope to visit Africa, south of the Sahara, the Symposium is composed of 8 regional Episcopal Conferences Africa and the Islands.
By Kelvin Aboagye-Yeboah//Newswatchgh.com
