Features
Foray into journalism…. Editor retires
Mr Emmanuel Amponsah
As we grow up we fantasise about being one thing or the other. We want to be teachers because we see them as very knowledgeable. We want to be nurses as they are neatly dressed. Many others fancy being doctors, pilots, engineers and many more.
When I resisted going to school and was asked what I wanted to do, I quickly responded I wanted to be a washerman. But this desire evaporated as an uncle told me I would need to write the names of my clients in case they brought identical items.
As time went on I saw my own prowess in the study of Geography as a subject. I again thought of being a soldier, but in my ignorance I thought it was not feasible since I did not grow a moustache. Teaching did not feature under any circumstance. My Geography improved when I went to secondary school.
Finally, I made up my mind to read either Geomorphology or Climatology. I can proudly say I was easily the best Geography student but the final examination did not favour me in the subject. I was devastated. I ended up going to train as a teacher at the Presbyterian Training College, Akropong.in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
On one vacation in Accra from Madonna school at Koforidua, I phoned the Editor of the *Weekly Spectator* to inquire if I could write a column for the paper. The Editor, a Mr. Kwesi Woode, as he said his name was, asked me to forward three scripts to his office. I told him I could only write on situations as they unfolded and he said he could not help. I knew it was his right to turn me down.
My flair for writing was ignited by a Ms. Elizabeth Suhre, an American Peace Corps volunteer who taught me English Language for three years. Sometime in 1971 there was a national essay competition on the subject, “What should the National Service Corps do?” It was during the premiership of Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia.
My essay was one of two selected for the Keta District. Mine was picked for the Regionals at Ho. Again, my essay was picked to represent Volta Region at the national level. The final draw did not come off before Busia was overthrown by soldiers on January 13, 1972.
As fate would have it, I got my Advanced Diploma in Journalism and Professional Writing. Now I had two professions; a teacher and journalist. I have written quite a bit under pseudonyms, some sermons under pseudonyms and Astrological predictions in the same manner.
Having done radio, television and print I came to the conclusion that anything on radio and television goes with the wind, but the written material lingers forever, even in spite of the fact that with ICT, materials anywhere can be stored and retrieved.
In December of 2020 I presented an Astrological predictions and perspective on Election 2020 to the *Daily Graphic* for publication. As was their right to do, the Night Editor of the paper got my write-up removed from the paper. I admit that our personal beliefs and biases can be brought to bear on our vocations. But it was his right to do what he did.
Then, out of the blue I got a call from a number I did not have in my phone contacts. He identified himself as the Editor of the *Weekly Spectator* asking if I could write a column for the paper. I did not think twice before accepting the offer. He made it clear that the company did not have money and I told him I did not expect payment.
So, on Saturday the 4th of December in 2020 *Random Muses* began on these pages with the very write-up *Daily Graphic* rejected. According to my Editor, some sceptics on the subject of astrology called him after the Election 2020 to express their wonder at the predictions.
Two weeks ago as I got my newspapers delivered to me I saw on the front page that my Editor had retired. I recall he had mentioned before the last Christmas period that he would retire this year, but I thought it might be in December. Let me make a confession: I have never set eyes on my Editor, Mr Emmanuel Amponsah.
We only communicate by phone or email. I can imagine what he may have gone through publishing my write-ups, especially since I state my mind without inhibition on any subject matter. Knowing how toxic our national discourse can be, writing on national issues is one thing, but having the courage to put them on the pages of a national paper is something else.
I usually tell Mr. Amponsah he should feel free to edit or get me to change my write-ups to save his skin from intolerant politicians who may call to rebuke him, but he tells me he would do no such thing as touch my scripts. I salute my Editor for his courage and professionalism and also for his independent mindedness.
This is what is expected of a professional journalist: independent mindedness. Those who buckle under political pressure/influence and those who fear to lose their positions are threats to national development and progress.
Talking about political pressure brings me to respond to a reader who sent me an email asking why I do not appear on television any longer. It was a good observation. True, I used to appear on newspaper review programmes on television until three years ago. At this point I was paired with Captain Joel Kwami Sowu, a nationalist to the core.
One morning, the young, hardworking and dynamic producer called to tell me that his management had decided to split Captain Sowu and me so that each of us would be paired with different panellists. Naturally, I asked if there was a problem. He answered that a call came from the communication department of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) demanding such action.
According to him, the NPP requested that we should be paired with one of their communicators to ‘counter’ whatever we had to say. My first reaction was “nonsense.” What I know of Captain Sowu is that he has an independent mind and has no partisan leanings. A fiercely political individual, Joel is not afraid of stating his opinions without fear.
First, we did not know what the newspapers published until we got to the studio, so how could a political party know what we were going to say so as to ‘counter’ us? It did not make sense to me and I told the young producer that I would get back to him after I had spoken to Captain Sowu.
When I narrated this to Joel, all he said in response was, “Akofa, if you buy into this nonsense, go ahead and appear on the newspaper review programmes.” I have stayed away from that station ever since. If a media organisation wants to dance to political music it is within their right to do so.
I have appeared on programmes with very seasoned and matured minds in the NPP, NDC, CPP and PNC. I can easily recall the likes of lawyers Kwame Jantuah and Tom Mawusi, Hon. Catherine Afeku, Philip Longdon, Bernard Mornah, Kwaku Baako Jnr, Egbert Faibile, Joe Jackson, Professors Nii Noi Dowuona and Nana Essilfi Conduah and many others I cannot recall immediately.
I am glad to stay away because I cringe when I hear some of these young, intolerant upstarts throwing insults at people who hold opposing views to theirs. Imagine calling a Paramount Chief a propagandist of another party and another saying a co-panellist was not qualified to be the president’s houseboy. The simple rule is to state your view and let others state theirs. There are some from the NDC who do no better.
Fortunately, no political party has ever asked me to communicate on their behalf. When I appear on a programme I see the whole nation as my constituency and address issues dispassionately. Let me make another confession: I voted religiously for NPP’s Nana Akomea since 1996 until he decided not to enter Parliament any longer. Even after I left the constituency in 1997 I kept my vote there till he left.
I vote for people I am convinced can deliver, not on flimsy emotional or for sentimental reasons. It is for this reason that I doff my hat to Mr Emmanuel Amponsah. He did not ask my political leaning though he may know now that I am an unrepentant admirer of the Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his Pan Africanist philosophy.
Once a journalist, I believe Mr. Amponsah will remain a journalist. I welcome him to the Club of Retirees. I wish my Editor the best in any endeavour he undertakes in retirement. I am convinced that his successor will accept me for who I am.
Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr. Akofa K. Segbefia
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.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you are trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved. Last week we looked at three and this week is the remaining four steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
4. Find common ground
The best way to handle workplace conflict is to start with what you can agree on. Find common ground between the people engaging in conflict. If you are directly involved in the conflict, slow down and focus on results instead of who’s right.
If you are the mediator for conflict resolution between coworkers, observe the discussion and help point out the common ground others may not see.
5. Collectively brainstorm solutions
When deciding how to handle workplace conflict, it can be tempting to problem-solve on your own. Sometimes, it feels easier to work independently rather than collaboratively. However, if you want to achieve a lasting resolution, you will need to motivate your team to get involved.
Brainstorm possible solutions together, and solicit input from everyone involved on the pros and cons of each option until you settle on a solution that feels comfortable to everyone. This will help all team members feel a sense of ownership that can help prevent future conflicts.
6. Create an action plan
Once you have created an open dialogue around workplace conflicts, it is time to resolve them. Just like any other work goal, this requires creating a concrete plan and following through.
Create an action plan and then act on it. It does not matter what the plan is, as long as you commit to it and resolve the conflict as a result.
7. Reflect on what you learned
All conflicts offer an opportunity to grow and become a better communicator. Identify what went well and what did not.
Work with your whole team to gather learnings from the conflict so you can avoid similar situations in the future.
Today, I continue with my narration of personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland, with a focus on Mr Joseph Osei Amoah.
Mr Amoah is one of the senior members of the Ghanaian community in Finland and a top member of the Ghana Union Finland, an association of the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland.
He is an active and a well-respected person in the Ghanaian community in Finland. Mr Osei Amoah moved to Finland in the mid-1990s, and he has lived in Helsinki all this time.
Accomplishments and honours
It is important to recount accomplishments as part of the success stories of the personalities of Ghanaian descent in Finland in order to highlight their exploits both within the Ghanaian migrant community and in the wider Finnish society.
Mr Amoah holds a Master’s degree in Demography from the University of Helsinki. At the time he came to Finland in 1994, he had majored in Economics at the Bachelor’s level at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Sometimes affectionately called “Chairman” in the Ghanaian migrant community, Mr Osei is a former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) branch in Finland, assuming office around 2015, a few months after the branch was formed, until 2019 when he did not run again for the elections. He helped to bring vibrancy into the NPP Finland branch.
Religious life
Mr Amoah is a prominent member of the Global Methodist Church in Finland. In spite of his busy working life and other responsibilities, he remains a committed member of the Global Methodist Church in Finland.
He plays a key leadership role in the church, which is attended by many Ghanaian migrants and other African migrants, Finns, and those of other nationalities.
His position in Asanteman Finland
Mr Osei Amoah is an outstanding member of the Asanteman Finland, where he is the Gyasehene, a prominent position as a sub-chief in the Asante (and Akan) royal hierarchy, in the functioning of the traditional authority systemgenerally in Ghana.
The Asanteman Finland is an association formed purposely with the aim of supporting each other as well as to ensure unity among its members and others outside of the group.
One of its top priorities of Asanteman Finland is to display the Asante culture in Finland. Mr Osei Amoah finds this as very important since by upholding the traditional culture and heritage, the association enables its members and especially the young ones to get the chance to learn and appreciate Asante and Ghanaian cultural values. They do this through rites such as marriage, the naming ceremony, and death and funeral rites, which makes the people to learn more of their provenance and not forget their origins.
“My point is that, by displaying the traditional heritage it helps people to learn more about their provenance. For, I think it will be embarrassing to go home and see that even the young ones have much knowledge about how to perform certain rites whilst those of us in the diaspora may be deficient in understanding those practices”, he argued. It is also very important for the young ones who are born in Finland to learn what the culture of their original society is, he continued.
The Finnish educational system
Mr Osei has a lot to say about the Finnish educational system, which he sees as very good. “When we came to Finland, education was free. There were library books and manuscripts readily available in the library, and one could print or make as many photocopies as possible for your studies. There was more flexibility. One could read books and write exams on them for the necessary grades in order to complete your studies”. In his opinion, Ghana could learn much from the Finnish system, which is one of the best in the world.
He said the only initial challenge he found in Finland was how to master the Finnish language, without which it was difficult to get a job befitting one’s status after the studies. But things have changed today and there are many English courses so it is easy to study and get a job that matches your studies, especially in the area of ICT, he said.
His role in the Ghanaian community
Mr Osei Amoah has been very active in the Ghanaian community, as I have indicated earlier. He is still very active in the Ghana Union Finland, and has played a leadership in many functions organised by the Union, as a non-governmental organisation for the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland.
Mr Amoah has been a counsellor and mentor who has guided many young Ghanaian migrants on their career paths and has also been part in settling various kinds of conflicts between opposing parties or persons. In conclusion, I would say Mr Osei Amoah has succeeded in embossing his name in the golden pages of visionary Ghanaians in both Sweden and Finland.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
