Pope Francis Welcomes the Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia of Ghana to the Vatican

On April 24th before his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis welcomed the Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia, to the Vatican for a private meeting.
There was the customary exchange of gifts and the strong relations between Ghana, Africa, and the Holy See, were highlighted but they also spoke on the health and education issues that the African country is facing.
 Ghana's economic growth is improving, however, poverty and access to education draw is still prevalent. Oxfam International reports that “a girl from a poor family is 14 times more likely never to have been to school than one from a rich family.”

Catholicism is also experiencing a decline within the country. Last year, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference announced that the number of Catholics in the country had fallen from 15% in 2000 to 10% in 2021.
Pope John Paul II was the first and only pope to visit Ghana. He traveled there in 1980, just five years after the Vatican established official diplomatic relations with the country.