Features
Why Ghanaians need to be fed with the truth
Truth-telling is essential for authentic communication to occur and makes genuine interaction between people possible. The truth matters, both to us as individuals and to society as a whole. As individuals, being truthful means that we can grow and mature, learning from our mistakes. Honesty means to develop a practice of speaking the truth throughout life. It is said that a person who practices honesty in his or her life possesses strong moral character, since the person shows good behaviour, follows rules and regulations, maintains discipline, speaks the truth, and is always punctual.
MORAL OBLIGATION
Truthfulness is the foundation on which human relationships are built. Without truth, sustainable success will be impossible in human dealings. The moral obligation as recognised by common sense is that each and every one has to tell the truth always. Some of the benefits of being honest include establishing a closer friendship that will pave the way for greater intimacy, building trust and confidence, having quality friends, less stress, and improved wellness, among others.
The power of always telling the truth, which is more than just honesty, is that it yields a deeper understanding of oneself and elevates self-esteem. In short, the importance of being truthful and honest means not to lie, steal, cheat, or deceive in any way. When we are honest, we build strength of character that will allow us to be of great service to God and others. The Holy Bible says that when we are truthful and honest, we are blessed with peace of mind and self-respect and will be trusted by the Almighty God.
JOURNEY OF TRUTH AND HONESTY
I have decided to take my readers and patrons on this honest and truthful journey because of certain negative developments in our country where some of our political leaders and office holders have tried not to be economical with the truth even though they are aware that the factual aspects of things that are going on are not exactly what they are churning out to the people, and for that matter, Ghanaians who made them what they are today in the society.
BUNCH OF LIES
It is a fact that the people continue to be shortchanged of the truth and deceived by some of our leaders and office holders, who try as much as possible to hide the truths and facts from them and provide them with a bunch of lies. Ghanaians are now discerning, and they can decipher the truth from the lies.
When President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presented his State of the Nation Address to Parliament recently, he expressed optimism that the government was systematically fulfilling the terms of the staff level agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and expressed confidence that it would secure a deal by the end of March. With the successful process of the domestic debt exchange programme and support received from other creditors, the President was upbeat that Ghana would clinch the $3 billion bailout from the IMF to improve the country’s downward economic situation.
PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT ON IMF
Hear the President: “I am confident that with the cooperation we’re receiving from members of the Paris Club and the People’s Republic of China, which has sent a delegation from China’s Exim Bank to Accra over the weekend to meet with officials of the Ministry of Finance, we shall be able to go to the board of the Fund to finally conclude the agreement by the end of March.”
But according to the Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Ghana was not likely to clinch a deal with the IMF in March and would be lucky to get a deal in April. “Mr Speaker, our President said on authority that Ghana would get IMF Board approval by the end of this month (March). I don’t know who is briefing our President, but Ghana will not be able to get IMF Board approval by the end of this month because even the board documents are not prepared. We need to get China to give Ghana financing assurance and that they are ready to take a haircut, and China has not agreed,” said the Minority Leader.
MINORITY POSITION
The Minority Caucus was of the view that the March 31 deadline to secure the IMF Board’s approval for the loan facility would not be feasible, contrary to the claim by the government, because it has not been able to satisfy the financing assurances regarding the bailout, which include the board documents.
Indeed, many economic analysts, think tanks and international financial organisations have alluded to the viewpoint expressed by the Minority Caucus that meeting the March 31 deadline cannot be possible for Ghana to secure the economic bailout by the IMF. For instance, an international rating agency, Fitch Ratings, was of the view that the IMF’s support for Ghana, would likely depend on the government’s ability to show a path towards bringing the present value of the debt to 55 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
FACTORS TO ENCOURAGE IMF APPROVAL
Germany recently, through her envoy in Ghana, asked the Akufo-Addo-led administration to prune down the size of his government and cut down on waste in the system if, truly, the country needed a bailout from the IMF to revamp its shattered economy. It appears that President Akufo-Addo is adamant about following that advice from the German envoy and is rather criticising him for interfering in Ghana’s internal affairs.
Really, what is happening is that the present government’s appointees, especially those in charge of finance, are not briefing the President well about the true state of affairs of the economy but rather feeding him palpable lies and falsehoods about the IMF deal. They knew very well that it would not be possible for Ghana to secure the IMF facility by the end of March, yet they decided to include it in the President’s State of the Nations Address that was delivered to Parliament recently, only for the President to announce it to Ghanaians.
TRANSPARENT WITH THE PEOPLE
We need to remind ourselves that the country has reached a stage in its development where we have to be truthful and honest with ourselves since we need support from the international community to revamp the downward trend of the economy. The truth must be laid bare to Ghanaians about the true state of the economy so that they will understand what is going on and, if there is any sacrifice they have to make, they will do so willingly and wholeheartedly. Hiding the truth and not being honest with the people is indeed dangerous to the survival and progress of our dear nation.
Now that the President has indicated that the IMF facility would be ready by the end of March this year, Ghanaians are expecting that from the beginning of April, their lifestyles will definitely change because they believe that the economy will start improving gradually, but this is not the case. Even if the bailout is approved in March, as the President alluded, it will take some time before the economy starts bearing fruit. This is what we expect from the President’s appointees: to educate Ghanaians about how the IMF programme will work and not to feed the President with palpable lies to score cheap political points.
ADVICE TO OUR POLITICIANS
This article cannot end well without advising our politicians, especially those at the helm of affairs, to be transparent in their actions, mindful with their utterances, and also to be truthful, honest, and sincere to the people from whose backs they rode to the positions they are occupying. The entire Ghanaian population cannot occupy these limited positions, and, therefore, that is why they are there as representatives of their constituents, or the people. Let the truth and honesty lead our nation, Ghana. Period!
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By Charles Neequaye
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
