AFRICA/GHANA - The Pope creates new diocese of Techiman and appoints first Bishop

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on 28 December 2007, created the diocese Techiman (Ghana) with territory taken from the dioceses of Sunyani and Konongo-Mampong, making it suffragan of the Metropolitan See of Kumasi. On the same day the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI appointed as first Bishop of Techiman Rev. Dominic Nyarko Yeboah, of the clergy of the diocese of Sunyani.
The new diocese of Techiman includes seven civil districts. It has an area of 22,400 square kilometres and a population of 695,826 including 19,645 Catholics, gathered in 13 parishes, assisted by 24 diocesan priests, 7 religious priests, 3 Brothers and 20 Sisters and there are 7 major seminarians,
The first Bishop of Techiman Rev. Dominic Nyarko Yeboah, was born on 19 December 1953 at Nsuta, diocese of Sunyani. After attending local schools and St. Hubert's minor seminary, in 1984 he entered St. Peter's Regional Seminary to study philosophy and theology and was ordained a priest on 21 July 1990 for the diocese of Sunyani. He has since ministered as follows: assistant priest at Dormaa parish (1990-91); spiritual director at St. James minor seminary in Sunyani (1991-98); diocesan vocations director (1992-93); assistant priest at Berekum parish (1998-99); parish priest at Sampa Parish (1999-2004). Between 2004 and 2007 he studied for a Licentiate in family counselling at Fordham University New York. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 7/1/2008; Righe 18; Parole 243)