His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson, the Ghanaian-born Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Social Sciences at the Vatican, has stirred the conscience of the nation, calling for a collective moral clarity, national courage, and a spiritual reset in order to forge a just and prosperous Ghana for all its citizens.
Cardinal Turkson, addressing a spiritually charged audience, anchored his reflections on the theme of the event—Reflection, Reset, and Renewal for National Prosperity—insisting that these are not just poetic words for ceremonial effect but a solemn call to action.
“These are also a call to moral clarity, national courage, and spiritual awakening for fashioning a Ghana of opportunities for an inclusive well-being of its children”.
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
In his characteristic theological and philosophical depth, Cardinal Turkson defined “reflection” as the courageous act of recognizing both Ghana’s blessings and its blind spots—the areas in national life marred by corruption, division, and moral decay.
He urged Ghanaians to reset by actively turning away from these vices and choosing a better path. For him, to reset is to turn away from these blind spots that lead to destruction, division, corruption, and the many evils that have been talked about.
Renewal
Renewal, according to him, is a recommitment to the common good, not in words, but through actions that promote the well-being of every Ghanaian. Prosperity in this light, he emphasised, “is not simply the accumulation of wealth, but the flourishing of all children of this land.”
Invoking the wisdom of the Prophet Jeremiah, Cardinal Turkson noted that Ghana stands at a crucial moral and developmental crossroads.
He cited Jeremiah 6:16—“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”
He explained that these “crossroads” appear frequently in every nation’s history, urging Ghanaians to use this moment to examine the path that best leads to collective peace and prosperity.
“This is a time of discernment. Crossroads appear several times in our lives… It is when a single path of travel becomes multiple and complex, inviting us to discern which part best leads to our good fortune.”
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
He recalled biblical and historical examples of resets—how Joshua led the Israelites to choose whom they would serve, how King Josiah in Jerusalem summoned the people to renew their covenant with God, and how Daniel in exile sought national repentance and divine guidance.
These were moments of national self-examination and spiritual redirection, and Cardinal Turkson believes Ghana must do no less. Looking into Ghana’s post-independence history, the Cardinal evoked national pride and a sense of purpose.
He reminded the nation of its proud founding ideals of “Freedom and Justice” and the vision of Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, who championed technological advancement and established the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology as a centre for national development.
However, Cardinal Turkson also acknowledged the darker moments in the country’s past—events and decisions that have caused pain, regret, and underdevelopment. Yet, he insisted that all these must be reflected upon to chart a better path forward.
“All of these are part of our national journey. When we revisit our past, it is not to dwell on pain but to identify the good things that serve the well-being of all.”
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
Protecting the Common Good
Speaking passionately on the idea of the common good, the Cardinal offered a vivid metaphor from his travels in East Africa. He recounted a community in the Rift Valley that maintains a shared grazing land, regulating its use to prevent overexploitation.
“When anyone exceeds the agreed number of cattle or sheep for personal gain, the land fails, and everyone suffers. This is the tragedy of the commons.”
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
He warned that Ghana must not allow selfish interests and unregulated exploitation to lead to similar failure. Cardinal Turkson emphasized that Ghana is rich with resources, and these resources must serve the collective good.
“Everything that exists here is for Ghanaians. We cannot allow individual gain to create negative externalities that all of us must bear.”
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
Citing examples of these “negative externalities,” he lamented the environmental degradation of Ghana’s once-flourishing rivers. “The Pra River doesn’t sell prawns and shrimps anymore. The Offin River has become a puddle of mud. The Akombrah is already gone,” he said.
The consequences, he continued, are not just environmental but also human—children exposed to polluted waters are now suffering ruptured scrotums due to mercury and cyanide poisoning. He also pointed to rising birth defects in Ghana’s middle belt.
“These are not theoretical problems. These are real tragedies caused by unvirtuous conduct,” he declared, warning that greed and selfishness must be replaced by virtue, solidarity, and a sincere pursuit of the national interest.
National Transformation
The Cardinal was unequivocal: national transformation does not depend solely on the president or political leaders. “The transformation of this land depends on us. We have not just been presented as religious people but as people of spirituality and virtue,” he urged.
According to Cardinal Turkson, true religion is not confined to rituals but must inspire a vision of the world and one’s place in it.
“Biblical religion means that our belief in God entails our vision of the world and our place within that vision. It is not enough to express a vision for Ghana. We must also define our role within that vision—and that role must be based on virtue.”
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
He emphasised that Ghanaians must cultivate character, virtue, and civic responsibility. “We are looking for Ghanaians who are virtuous, who develop a fulcrum on which their lives would balance,” he urged. “Otherwise, greed will dominate this land.”
In a powerful close, Cardinal Turkson pointed to the Sustainable Development Goals presented by Ban Ki-moon in 2015, which emphasized the “integral development of every person.”
He insisted that no Ghanaian must be left behind. “We all have dignities that need to be promoted, and nobody’s dignity should suffer from any form of existence we create for ourselves.”
He ended his address with a spiritual charge, calling on all Ghanaians to adopt the Apostle Paul’s instruction to “pray without ceasing”—not only during national ceremonies but in daily life.
“We pray for our land. We pray for our government. We pray for our heads of state and all who administer access to well-being. And praying always, we may develop those virtuous conditions ourselves.”
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
He reminded the congregation that one does not need to be a priest or a politician to be virtuous.
For him, what Ghana needs now, more than ever, are citizens of character—men and women whose choices are guided not by greed or gain, but by love for country and commitment to the common good.
“Let us reset, casting out the evil ones and embracing what is right and good for our future. And let us renew, embracing what is good for our future, for a land of prosperous living, a land that is good for the well-being of all.”
His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kojo Appiah Turkson
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