Narration: An Episcopal Ordination and installation of Most Reverend, Alfred Agyenta, as new Bishop for the Navrongo –Bolgatanga Diocese has taken place at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. The occasion which was marked amidst feasting and merry making attracted various religious denominations as well as dignitaries including ministers of state, chiefs, and religious leaders among catholic priests and bishops from neigbouring Burkina Faso, Mali and Benin. Most Rev. Alfred Agyenta, now succeeds the late Most Rev. Lucas Abadamloora whose death occurred at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital on December 23, 2009. Correspondent Isaac Asare and Joyce Kantam were part of the joyous occasion and reports for Radio Ghana.
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The Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese is situated in the extreme Northeast of the country between 0 and 1.30 longitude West and 10 to 11 latitude North, sharing same boundary with Neighbouring Burkina Faso. The diocese covers a total land mark of 5,636 square mile comprising the entire Upper East Region, the Mamprusi East and West Districts and Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District, which are under the Northern Region of Ghana. With an estimated population of 1.7 million made up of 14 parishes of which 2 are in the Northern Region, the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga alone has a catholic population of 104,165. This involves 53 Diocesan Priests, 9 missionary priests, 10 Presentation Brothers, 18 Sisters of Mary Immaculate, 3 Holy Child Sisters, and 4 Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, 8 Sisters of Charity of St. Anne, and 3 Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. Major ethic group in the diocese are Builsa, Kassena-Nankana, Frafra, Talensi, Nabdam, Kusasi, Mamprusi, Bimoba, and Konkomba, with sizeable groups of Bisa and Mossi in the north–eastern corner. The Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese despite its spiritual, human and material potential had since 2009 been without a bishop due to the vacuum created by the late Chief shepherd of the diocese, the Late Most Rev. Lucas Abadamloora after 15 yeras of dedicated service. It is in this vein that His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI on April, 5, 2011 elected Most Rev Alfred Agyenta as new bishop of the diocese on the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. The Bishop of Konongo-Mampong and the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, in a brief remark described the installation of the new bishop as timely since it would put an end to all ethnic factionalism existing among members of the diocese. He therefore urged the entire catholic congregation to bury their ethnic differences and give the new bishop the needed cooperation and support to bring development to the diocese. To him, no ethnic group is superior to the other, hence the need for them to unite as one people aiming for common goal. The Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Most Rev. Leon Kalenga also in congratulatory message encouraged members of the diocese to live in peace and spiritually support the new bishop to enable him live up to expectation. He was grateful to the leadership and members of the diocese and appeal to them to ensure stability among its members. The Vice President, in a speech read on his behalf by the minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Alexanader Asum Ahensah expressed gratitude to the leadership and members of the diocese and encouraged them to use laid down structures to resolve problems when they arise. He use the occasion to urged religious leaders to come together to come out with a common code of conduct to check the nefarious activities of self acclaimed men of God. This, he said, will help purge the system of charlatans that involve in all forms of immoral acts. The Principal Ordaining Bishop, His Excellency Leon Kalenga with the company of all bishops present later held a brief ceremony to enthroned Most Rev. Alfred Agyenta as new Bishop for the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese. Most Rev. Agyenta until his elevation to the high status of a bishop was a lecturer, and formator at St. Victor’s Major Seminary in Tamale. He is a native of Wiaga in the Builsa District of the upper East Region.
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