Accra Ghana Temple
The building of the Accra Ghana Temple was announced on 16 February 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley. The announcement came after he had challenged members to make a special effort to fellowship new converts to the Church. He told the members, "Put your arms around them, make them feel at home. Teach them the doctrines of the kingdom. Befriend them and help them in every way possible. I make you a promise that if you will do that you will be blessed with a temple in your midst."
On the day of the announcement, at an outdoor gathering of some assembled members in Accra's Independence Square, President Hinckley said, "You've gone a long time without a temple. When I was here five years ago [as a member of the First Presidency], we tried to find a place to build a temple. We didn't find anything and we didn't say anything to anybody. But efforts Monday, February 16, were more fruitful. This morning we approved the purchase of a beautiful piece of ground."
The Accra Ghana Temple was the second temple built in Africa, following the Johannesburg South Africa Temple in 1985.
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Missionary Work Begins in Ghana
The first Mormon missionaries were called to serve in Ghana in 1978. It took only 25 years for a temple to be built there, which demonstrates how quickly the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ has grown in the area. Many of the people present at the announcement of the temple had been some of the first converts in Ghana, and most expressed their amazement at how far the Church had come in the area.
The first Missionary Training Center in Africa opened in Tema, Ghana (just east of Accra) in 2002.
Site Dedication and Groundbreaking Ceremony
A site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony were held on 16 November 2001. The ceremony was intended to begin at 8:00 that morning, however, it was delayed 45 minutes while awaiting the arrival of the Vice President who had returned earlier that morning from New York and graciously accepted an invitation to attend. The combined Christiansborg and Lartebiorkoshie stake choir provided inspiring music while the crowd waited. Upon his arrival, the ceremony commenced. Elder Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, conducted the ceremony and gave the concluding remarks.
Groundbreaking followed with participation by Elder Nelson, the Vice President, stake presidents, and other dignitaries. The event was covered by a local radio station and Ghana Television
The 17,500 square foot Accra Ghana Temple, located at 57 Independence Ave., North Ridge, Accra, Ghana, sits on 6 acres on the main avenue that runs through the center of Accra. The exterior of the temple is made of granite quarried in Namibia, Africa, called Namibia Pearl. Inside the sacred edifice are a Celestial room, two endowment rooms, two sealing rooms and a baptistery.
Public Open House, Cultural Celebration, and Temple Dedication
The temple was open for tours by the general public 3 December through 20 December 2003. During the tour, people were able to see the exquisite craftsmanship of the interior of the temple. All of the materials used in the building of the temple were from the area. Moldings in the temple were made of the native makore wood. Skilled local artisans handcrafted the furniture, and the art-glass windows reflect the culture. The Vice President of Ghana, as well as many other officials, took tours through the temple.
President of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, dedicated the Accra Ghana Temple on January 11, 2004. The temple serves members in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Benin, and the Ivory Coast.
