|PIC2|The Church of Scotland Moderator has begun a historic tour of Ghana as the country celebrates 50 years of independence.

The Rt Rev Alan McDonald, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, will today fly out to Ghana to begin a two-week trip of the West African nation (4-17 January 2007).

A major highlight of his visit will be a meeting with President of the Republic of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufour, where they will discuss the 50th anniversary celebrations that will be taking place to commemorate Ghana's independence from British colonial rule in 1957.

The busy schedule will see the Moderator traverse the country, beginning and ending the visit in the capital city of Accra, travelling north to the city of Tamale and exploring Ghana's most historical city, Cape Coast.

Highlights of the Moderator's visit include a meeting with the King of Ashanti, Otumfo Osei Tutu II, an audience with the Paramount Chief Nana Addo Dankwa III, and visits to various Christian Aid projects throughout the country. He will also join in a tour of some of the numerous educational projects of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), the Rt Rev Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, has stressed the need for cordial relations between the President Kufuor and his predecessor Jerry Rawlings.

Despite the controversy of previous efforts by the Christian Council of Ghana to resolve the impasse between the two men, Rev Frimpong-Manso said it was "imperative for the church to put pressure to ensure that their relationship become healthy".

As the country gears up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence, he added in his Sunday sermon that the nation needed unity and reconciliation more than ever before and "the best people to show the way to unity and reconciliation is the former and sitting president".