Features
Lust and teenage pregnancy
As I was returning from my routine morning brisk walk, I got to a point which was about 800m from my house. Suddenly, a few feet away ahead of me I saw a smallish black hen being chased by a big cockerel.
In a moment it caught up with her and hopped onto her back pinning her to the floor and start ed mating. Not even my closeness to them dissuaded the cockerel from carrying on with his activity.
It suddenly reminded me of teenage pregnancy and rape of house helps driven by lust of men who cannot control their sexual urge.
What even filled me with anger and at the same time saddened me was the posture of the cockerel, after finishing his lustful activity, while the smallish hen was struggling to get up from the ground and regain her composure.
It reminded me of those days in the Zongo where young girls were married to men old enough to even be their grandfathers which to me was evil.
The psychological and social cost of teenage pregnancy to the nation is very huge. The contribution of every single individual is vital for the growth of every nation.
The potential of people can only be fully realised within the right environment of peace and psychological stability.
A psychologically broken person can never amount to much and the nation will be poorer if she has a lot of such people since their potential which they could have unleashed for national development, is shelved.
Women and therefore girls are by nature more susceptible to emotional stress and are therefore severely affected by traumatic experiences like rape which in a lot of instances, result in pregnancy.
A woman who was the wife of a Pastor, shared her story of how she was raped in a parking lot in the USA and the effect it had on her psyche. You can imagine what such an experience can do to a young innocent girl.
Apart from the psychological issues, we are going to have to contend with children raising children contrary to the norm of adults raising children.
The chances of a child carrying a baby and delivering safely is very small. There is a high probability of losing both the pregnant child and her baby and who knows what they could have achieved for this country.
Could it be the loss of a future Kofi Annan, a Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Rita Akosua Dickson etc? On the other hand, the likelihood of pick pockets, armed robbers, prostitutes, drug addicts, contract killers etc. resulting from teenage pregnancy is a huge social burden on the nation and must be addressed.
The effect of the activities of these group of people, what we normally refer to as social miscreants, on the development of this country, is incalculable.
A deliberate policy of inculcating positive values of respect for females by the male child must be seriously embarked upon.
Severe punishment regime must be put in place for men who indulge in this negative social practices especially fathers who sleep with their children. Adequate protection must be provided for house helps who are more vulnerable to domestic sexual predators.
Horrifying stories of house helps being taken advantage of abounds and serious attention must be paid to this issue which is very dear to my heart.
The initiatives of the state to curtail child marriage which mostly takes place in the northern part of the country must be strengthened to ensure that our female children are protected.
Furthermore, with sodomy rearing its ugly head and homosexuality in general, something serious needs to be done to hold in check the lust of some men as well as some women to whom our children’s care are entrusted.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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
