Accra Ghana Temple
The Accra Ghana Temple is the 117th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The building of the Accra Ghana Temple was announced on February 16, 1998. Years before the temple was announced, President of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, had promised members in the area that if they fellowshipped new members, they would be blessed with a temple. When the temple was announced, President Hinckley also told those in attendance that the Church had been trying to find a place to build a temple in Ghana for five years. The temple in Accra, Ghana, is the second of three temples built in Africa.
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 Mormon Church 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.
A site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony were held on November 16, 2001. Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, conducted the ceremony. The vice president of Ghana, as well as other officials, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony, and a radio station and Ghana Television covered the event. The Accra Ghana Temple sits on 6 acres on the main avenue that runs through the center of Accra. The exterior of the temple is made of Namibia Pearl Granite.
The temple was open to the public December 3-20th 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. The Accra Ghana Temple has a total of 17,500 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.
