New Apostilic Nuncio to Ghana appointed

Monsignor Jean Marie Speich has been appointed as the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana.

He replaces Archbishop LeÃ³n Badikebele Kalenga, who, after five years of service to Ghana as a Nuncio, has been re-posted to El Salvador.

Monsignor Speich, who is expected to assume duty in September, this year, will be the eighth Nuncio to Ghana.

At a press conference in Accra on Saturday, the Charge d'Affair, of the Apostolic Nunciature to Ghana, Rev. Father Cosma Ambrosini, said the appointment of Monsignor Speich was announced by Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday, August 17, 2013.

His appointment, comes with a promotion to the position of Archbishop by Pope Francis.

Monsignor Speich was born on June 15, 1955 in Strasbourgh, France.

He was ordained as priest on October 9, 1982 and holds a doctorate degree in Canon Law.

He entered the Diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1986 and has since served in the embassies of the Holy See in Haiti, Nigeria, Bolivia, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Egypt, Spain and Cuba.

From March, 2008, until his appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, he was assigned to the Secretariat of the State in Rome as Head Officer of the French Section.

Monsignor Speich speaks French, Italian, English, German, and Spanish.

By Dominic Moses Awiah/Daily Graphic/Ghana