Fijai, Dec 15,GNA – Most Reverend John Martin Kwaku Darko, Catholic Bishop of the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese on Wednesday declared that he has resigned his position on health grounds.

Confirming this to reporters who called at his residence at Fijai in Takoradi to know the reason behind his resignation, Bishop Darko, aged 66, explained that he has had health problems since 2007.

He said he had managed the ailment ever since but it got to a time when the situation was becoming unbearable so in October last year his medical doctors recommended that he proceeded to take rest.

According to Most Rev. Darko, who has served as a Bishop for 13 years, five months,“Based on my medical doctors’ recommendation and knowing how I was going through in my body I finally informed the Pope Benedict the sixteenth about my health conditions and after various considerations he agreed and accepted that I should resign”. Bishop Darko stated that in accordance with the Church’s oath this issue was kept secret until today when it was announced in the church at exactly 12.00 noon by the hierarchy.

“While on retirement, I will have enough time to manage myself because it is better to rest now than to collapse and be incapacitated”. He said Bishop Mathias Kwabena Nketsia, Catholic Bishop of the Cape Coast Diocese, has been requested to act as the Bishop for the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese.

Born on May 30, 1945 at Aboadze in the Western Region, Emeritus Darko said he schooled in Saltpond, Emmissano Seminary and then to Pedu Seminary in the Central Region for his pastoral education where he graduated.

He was then ordained as a Priest on July 25 , 1976, worked at the Star of the Sea Cathedral in Takoradi, then transferred to Bibiani in the Western region and went for further studies in various disciplines.

“On January 13, 1998, the Pope appointed me as a Bishop and I have served in that capacity ever since.” Most Rev Darko stated with smiles.