Features
Ulla Alanko’s special love for Ghana and Ghanaian community in Finland
UUlla (left), with the then Ghana’s Ambassador to Denmark, H. E. Amerley Ollennu Awua-Asamoa. Picture by Kwame Afreh
Today, I share with readers something interesting about Ms. Ulla Alanko, the former Honorary Consul of Ghana in Helsinki. Ms. Alanko is currently retired and is thus an Honorary Consul Emerita.
What I share here is largely about the love this great Finnish woman has for Ghana and the immense support she has been giving in diverse ways to Ghanaian migrants in Finland.
Most Ghanaian migrants here look to her as a mother figure and affectionately refer to her simply as Ulla.
Honorary Consul
The official appointment of Ms. Ulla Alanko as the Honorary Consul was signed on December 29, 2006, by the then Foreign Minister, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is currently the President of Ghana. Her work as Honorary Consul formally started in 2007.
Before then, Ulla had been working closely with the then Consul General, Mr. DaudaToure, as Ulla explained to me in a communication in early 2020, just before my term ended as the President of the Ghana Union of Finland.
When Mr. DaudaToure unexpectedly died in 2002, the task thus fell on Ms. Alanko to step in and help serve Ghanaians in Finland. She followed in the late Toure’s footsteps to develop cooperation between Ghana and Finland.
The job also included working closely with Ghana’s Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, at that time (in 2018, Finland came under the Ghana Embassy in Oslo, Norway). There are also levels of cooperation between different universities in Finland and those in Ghana, business and investment possibilities, as well as visits to Ghana by staff from Ministries in Finland and from Ghana to Finland.
Ulla has worked in many institutions, for example, the University Hospital in Helsinki (Administration). Her last work experience was at the City of Helsinki Administration, where she was the Senior Planning Officer from 1989 until 2014, when she retired.
Her visits to Ghana
Ulla first visited Ghana in 1995 and, from then on, engaged in many activities in Ghana for about a year.
She saw the cooperation with the Accra City administration and the Trades Union Congress, something that had been on the Honorary Consul’s agenda since the year 1995.
The Ghana Consulate started cooperation with the Ghana Trade Union Congress, where it worked closely with the General Secretary, Mr. Christian Appiah-Agyei, and also with Mr. Kwasi Adu Amankwah, Mr. Kofi Asamoah and Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah.
Cooperation projects
In 2002, 2003, and 2005, the Honorary Con sulate started cooperation projects with the Trade Union Congress in Ghana. The projects were in cooperation with the Trade Union Solidarity Centre in Finland, for example, on repairing and consulting with the Ghana Trade Union Congress and others. A Finnish group of experts also worked together with their Ghanaian counterparts in the Ghana Trade Union Congress. The Finnish group was made up of 20 members of the Trade Union who had different working experiences from various parts of Finland.
The programmes focused on education, safety at work, working conditions, women in working life, etc. The cooperation programmes between Ghana and Finland have continued over the years.
The cooperation was successful, and on June 1, 2010, the Trade Union Solidarity Centre in Finland opened its office in Accra, the second in Africa. Unfortunately, the office is now temporarily closed.
In 2008, the then President of Finland, Mrs. Tarja Halonen, was one of the main speakers at the four-day UNCTAD- Congress in Accra, which Ms. Alanko attended too, from April 20–23. Later, Ulla, as the Honorary Consul of Ghana in Helsinki, arranged a visit to the Ghana Trades Union Congress on behalf of President Halonen to fulfill her wish to strengthen cooperation between Finland and Ghana.
President Halonen had been working as a lawyer in the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions before she became the first female P resident in Finland, from 2000 to 2012. The meeting in Accra gave hope about the possibility of strengthening the relationship between Ghana and Finland, as well as between the Trade Unions of both countries.
The Honorary Consul position is also a nominated member of the Consul Corps Board in Finland, from the 196 foreign consulates in Finland.
Retirement and Honour
Ulla retired from active work as an Honorary Consul in early 2020. In a speech at a send-off event for her, Ulla thanked the Ghana State, the Ghana Embassy in Copenhagen and the Ghanaian community in Finland for the “valuable possibility to work for the Ghana State and for their people in both countries”.
At the time, there were over 1,700 Ghanaians living in Finland. Ulla served the many people who approached her to help solve their immigration and other problems. “The work with Ghanaians and with Ghana Union Finland has always been very close and intense,” Ulla often said.
In 2018, the Ghana Union Finland honoured Ulla in recognition of her work. A citation presented to her read thus: “For so many years now, you have been of immense help to Ghanaian immigrants in Finland. Your friendship and great love for Ghana and Ghanaian immigrants in Finland are obvious for all to see.
“We acknowledge your selflessness, passion and dedication to the Union, and feel privileged to be associated with you. The Ghana Union Finland cherishes your zeal and enthusiasm to help and actively participate in activities involving the Ghanaian immigrant community in Finland. Your strong support for a solid Ghana-Finland relationship is a shining example for us all. Thank you”.
By Perpetual Crentsil
[The writer lectures at the
University of Helsinki in Finland]
Email: perpetualcrentsil@yahoo.com
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
