[2] He earned a diploma in social studies from the Saint Francis Xavier college in Antigonish in Canada in 1958 and his doctorate in theology from the International Catechetical Institute "Lumen vitae" in Brussels, Belgium, aided by a scholarship from the Knights of Columbus in 1957.

[4][1] Pope John XXIII erected the Diocese of Wa on 3 November 1959[5] and on 16 March 1960 appointed Porekuu its first bishop.

[6] He received his episcopal consecration in Saint Peter's Basilica on 8 May from Pope John with Bishops Napoléon-Alexandre Labrie and Fulton Sheen as the co-consecrators.

[2] Porekuu attended the Synod of Bishops that Pope John Paul II convoked for 24 November to 8 December 1985,[2] where each country had a single representative, which allowed the developing world a strong voice.

He said: "The Holy See should leave enough scope and sustain the process of inculturation to allow the young churches to grow to full maturity by taking on their own cultural identity in matters of life and worship.

[14] Pope Benedict XVI created Porekuu the Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Elena fuori Porta Prenestina on 26 March 2006.

The President of Ghana John Kufuor and Vice-President Aliu Mahama attended with Archbishop Peter Akwasi Sarpong of Kumasi offered the sermon and Felix Owusu-Adjapong, leader of the majority in parliament, delivered a tribute on the government's behalf.

The diocesan process commenced on 9 May 2015 in Tamale and was tasked with assembling documentation on his life and works as well as collecting testimonies from those who knew the late cardinal.