About the Archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Tamale was established in 1950 with Bishop G. Bertrand as its first Bishop. At the time of its establishment it covered what we have now as the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province. It shrunk in size with the creation of the other four dioceses in the province. It is the Metropolitan See of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province with Most Rev. Philip Naameh as its Archbishop.

The Archdiocese of Tamale covers an approximated total land area of 18,285sq. km with a population of about 974,909. It encompasses six (6) government administrative districts; the Tamale Metropolitan, Tolon, Kumbungu, Savelugu-Nanton, East Gonja and Kpandai Districts.

On the whole, the Archdiocese is very rural. Apart from the Tamale Central where the urban population is 68.8 percent, no other district has an urban population up to 30 percent. In terms of population distribution about 54.3 – 56.9 percent is youth between 0-19 years.

In the Archdiocese of Tamale Islam is the dominant religion constituting about 84.0 percent especially in the Tamale Matropolitan, Tolon and Kumbungu Districts. Christianity constitutes about 13.7 percent and catholism less than 2 percent.  The Christians are concentrated more in the Tamale Metropolis and other smaller urban centres where usually there are government establishments requiring workers from other places. In the East Gonja and Kpandai districts traditional believers constitute about 21.3 percent. Even though Islam is the dominant religion in Tamale the Archdiocese of Tamale is making great efforts to evangelize the place especially in the rural areas.   

The church usually takes into account the development of the human person in its evangelization. Therefore, since 1946 when the Missionaries of Africa registered their presence in Tamale, the Archdiocese of Tamale has played an outstanding role in the socio-economic development of the people especially in the area of education and health. Thus, the Archdiocese of Tamale, aside the Archbishop Secretariat which has the various offices assisting the Archbishop, has the following departments also to help in its evangelization efforts:

1. Catholic Education Unit
2. Archdiocesan Health Service
3. DEPSOCOM
4. Archdiocesan Development Office/Caritas Office
5. Justice and Peace Commission
6. Intereligious Dialogue Commission
7. Religious Education Office

There are twelve parishes, three chaplaincies and one rectorate in the Archdiocese of Tamale.

The Archdiocese of Tamale, with help of God, continues to be focused in its evangelisation efforts and that is yielding great fruits.  May God continue to let his word spread and gain roots in the Archdiocese of Tamale.