Features
A focus on the Ghana football team in Helsinki
Ghana team
Today, as I continue with my narration of personalities or groups and their accomplishments within the Ghanaian community in Finland, I focus on the Ghana football team in Helsinki.
A focus on this football team is at the right time as the team prepares to represent the Ghanaian community in Finland in the annual all African Diaspora summer football tournament, which is scheduled to start in late June till July this year.
The Ghana football team has started the pre-season training for the TAT summer tournament this year. The summer tournament is organised every summer by the Toiminnan Avulla Työelämään (TAT), a non-profit programme under the Helsinki Young Men Christian Association, ostensibly as part of efforts for the integration of immigrants into the Finnish society, among others.
I focus on the Ghana team in Helsinki as a way to boost their morale for the competition ahead.
As I keep saying, there are a number of sports people (footballers, basketball players, track and field athletes, etc.), musicians and others of Ghanaian descent in the arts industry whose works deserve to be highlighted.
When the team was formed
According to Mr. Emmanuel Ampofo, a founding member who is also popularly nicknamed as ‘Payo’, the Ghana football team was formed in early 2000.
The main idea was to bring Ghanaian migrants together during the summer time. A Patron of the Ghana team, Payo used to be the sole sponsor of the group for the annual summer tournament.
He continues to be part of those who support the team with logistics. Payo, who owns a barbering salon in Helsinki and meets many immigrants, indicated to me that it is very important for immigrants to have the opportunity to come together and interact to promote unity.
Players and officials for the team
According to Payo, the team usually has talented players. Both former footballers and others who simply have an interest in playing football can be recruited to play for the team.
Also, since the competing teams in the tournament are usually allowed to feature some ‘foreign’ players, the Ghana team often features such players, including Finns, to the admiration of all.
The coach of the team, Mr Moro Abdulai, who joined the team in 2006 and became part of the technical team in 2015, reiterated the fact that through football and the team’s participation in the tournament, unity can be forged among the players and others in the Ghanaian community in Finland.
Even during the COVID-19 period when the lockdown was eased, the team was eager to play and keep up the much-needed interaction which had been reduced due to the social distancing and other restrictions resulting from the pandemic situation.
Mr Kofi Musa Essuman has recently been added to the technical side to assume the role of publicity/public relations.
He said he wanted to be part of the Ghana team in Helsinki to nurture players, due to his background with juvenile football when he was in Ghana. To him, interest among players in the team continues to grow.
Representing the Ghanaian community
Although the Ghana team initially brought together only some people who were interested in playing football and enthusiasts of the game, today the team is assuming a more promising role.
According to coach Moro, the aim is to get the team to be more representative and give further meaning to it as representing the Ghanaian community, so to say.
It is undoubtedly a laudable idea. I remember that when I was the President of the Ghana Union Finland (GUF), the association representing the Ghanaian community, there were discussions in 2019 to hand over the team to GUF. The COVID-19 situation delayed those plans, though.
Integration
There is no doubt that for migrants, such sporting activities engender social cohesion and improve their integration into the Finnish (host) society.
There are Finnish bodies and institutions as well as migrants’ associations or social groups that help to both prepare and expose people with capabilities to the world.
Such institutions and associations are thus networks that engage in training and educating the young people interested in sports and other fields of performances.
At the end of it all, it becomes part of the ways of ensuring integration of people, including such players and even those who go on to play Finnish teams or the national teams and thus represent Finland at the international level. Thank you!
By Perpectual Crentsil
The writer is a Ghanaian lecturer at the University of Helsinki, Finland
Email: perpectualcrentsil@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
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