History of the diocese

The first mission station in the North of Ghana was started in Navrongo in 1906 by the Missionaries of Africa (MAfr), arriving from French territory, now Burkina Faso.. In January, 1926, the whole North of Ghana became the Prefecture Apostolic of Navrongo, and in 1934 it was raised to the rank of Apostolic Vicariate. With the establishment of the Hierarchy in Ghana on 19th April, 1950, the Apostolic Vicariate of Navrongo became the Diocese of Tamale, the see being transferred to Tamale, the administrative centre for the whole of North (Northern Territories). Bishop Gerard Bertrand MAfr became the first Bishop of Tamale.

In May 1956, the territory of the Diocese of Tamale was divided into the Dioceses of Navrongo and Tamale, and to each was added the strip of land along the eastside of the country, which was formerly the northern part of the mandated territory of British Togoland (Diocese of Keta). Bishop Gabriel Champagne MAfr became Bishop of Tamale, while Bishop Bertrand became Bishop of Navrongo. On the 3rd November 1959, the Diocese of Wa was cut off from the Diocese of Tamale with Bishop Peter Dery as the first Bishop.  The original Diocese of Tamale became three Dioceses:  Diocese of Navrongo: the north-eastern part, containing half of the total population, and the oldest mission station, Diocese of Wa: the north-western part, containing the bulk of the catholic population and the Diocese of Tamale: the southern part of the Northern Region, straight across the country from east to west, containing stations of recent formation

In July, 1972, Bishop Gabriel Champagne resigned the see of Tamale for health reasons. For more than two years and a half, the Diocese of Tamale was administered by the Bishop of Wa, Most. Rev Peter Dery. On 18th November, 1974, Bishop Peter Dery was transferred to the see of Tamale, and took possession of the Diocese on 29th March, 1975.  The Most. Rev Gregory Kpiebaya became the second bishop of Wa and was ordained Bishop on 15th March, 1975.
On 30th May, 1977, the Holy Father erected a new Ecclesiastical Province in the North of Ghana, the Tamale ECCLESIASTICAL PROVINCE. This became the second ecclesiastical province in the country. At the same time Tamale Diocese was elevated to the status of an Archdiocese and Metropolitan See of the new Province. Most Rev Peter Dery was appointed its first Metropolitan Archbishop.

The Diocese of Damongo, the fourth Diocese of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province, was created on 3rd February 1995.  The Most Rev Philip Naameh was elected its first Bishop and ordained Bishop on 28th May 1995, at Accra by Cardinal Josef Tomko.  He was installed in Damongo on Pentecost, 4th June 1995.