Catholic pontiff, Pope Francis, has appointed, Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto as member of the Dicastery for the promotion of human integral development.

Kukah joins the Dicastery on the promotion of integral development with a lot of experience in the area of human rights, justice and reconciliation. 

He is expected to team up with other members drawn from different regions of the world to advise and promote the Holy Father’s concerns on issues of justice and peace, human rights, torture, human trafficking, care of creation and other issues related to the promotion of human dignity and development. 

Director, Social Communications, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Fr. Christopher Omotosho, in a statement, said the appointment was contained in a letter to Bishop Kukah signed by His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery. 

He said the appointment adds to Bishop Kukah’s string of national and international engagements within the universal church, explaining that the appointment which is renewable, is for an initial period of five years, adding that the council would be formally inaugurated on a later date. 

Bishop Kukah was first appointed a Consultor and later a member of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, Vatican City and served under three Popes.