LIVE: Watch as Ghana marks its National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving today
Ghana today observes its first official National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving under the theme “Reset, Reflect and Renew for National Prosperity,” with Christian and Islamic services scheduled in Accra as the nation collectively pauses to express gratitude and seek divine guidance.
The Christian Prayer and Thanksgiving Service is taking place this morning at the forecourt of the Jubilee House, led by His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, while the Islamic Prayer and Thanksgiving Service will be conducted at 12:30 p.m. by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, at the Ghana National Mosque in Kanda.
President John Dramani Mahama declared July 1—traditionally Republic Day—as Ghana’s official National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving earlier this year. The initiative, he said, recognises the exceptional religious harmony the country enjoys and provides a moment for national reflection and spiritual renewal.
“One of Ghana’s greatest blessings is the harmony with which we practise our diverse faiths. Christians, Muslims and traditionalists—we worship differently, but we work together as one people. This is a national treasure that we must never take for granted,” President Mahama said.
The president expressed appreciation to Cardinal Turkson for honouring the invitation to preach the sermon at the inaugural Christian service. Cardinal Turkson, who arrived in Accra on Monday, said it was impossible to decline a call from the nation’s leader.
“If the President of your country calls, you can’t say no,” the Cardinal remarked. He also highlighted the vital role of the church in national development and proposed new areas for collaboration, including a sustainable development initiative currently being piloted by the Catholic Church in Nigeria, which could soon be replicated in other countries.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, described the occasion as a significant national milestone. “The day will serve as a moment of reflection, gratitude, and unity as Ghanaians come together in prayer to thank God for his guidance and protection over Ghana,” he said.
Mr Afriyie Ankrah assured the public that the committee was fully committed to ensuring the event’s success. “We understand the weight of the responsibility entrusted to us. It is our hope and prayer that the work we do will not only make Ghana proud but serve as inspiration to other nations—that the people who acknowledge God, give thanks to Him and live in unity can achieve their impossible,” he said.
Today’s observance marks the beginning of what the President hopes will become an annual national tradition of spiritual introspection and thanksgiving, reinforcing Ghana’s longstanding culture of religious coexistence and national unity.
