Features
Do not let the pressure get to you
Recently one of the topical issues being discussed on various media platforms is the infamous act of one Chef Smith that led to his arrest by the police.
Shortly after the public event patronised by the media, that Chef Smith had won a cook-a-thon contest, news quickly circulated that he had been arrested for fraud.
Rumours were rife that he had perpetrated fraud on Ghanaians and the world at large, regarding his claim that he had officially been recognised as the new cook-a-thon record holder by Guinness book of records.
Couple of days ago in his own words and on live TV, he confessed that it was all a hoax and that he engineered the whole thing. Asked by the host why he did what he did he initially said he did not know.
Then upon further probing he confessed that he was pressured by economic circumstances to indulge in that deceptive act. He explained that he could hardly take care of his bills and that sometimes it was difficult for him to pay his children’s school fees.
He then apologised profusely to some individuals he had hurt by his actions, the people of Ghana and the world in general that he deserve to die and all should forgive him, amidst weeping.
It was sad to witness a young man weeping uncontrollably, all because he allowed the current economic pressure to get to him and therefore cloud his judgement.
There is a twist to this issue regarding the person who was interviewing Chef Smith and the question of hypocrisy given the rumours surrounding the person who was doing the questioning on grounds of morality.
This was a person who had been mired in allegations of immorality and there she was asking someone why he scammed a whole bunch of people? Let us leave this for another day.
When a person becomes desperate, common sense flies out the window and actions that one will not usually carry out, gets executed. People usually blame the devil when caught in the web of bizarre acts which dents the reputation.
As the Chef was being pushed to the wall to tell why he orchestrated that charade, I was saying to myself not again, not again, thinking he was going to say “it was the devil who made me do it.”
Fortunately, this time, the chef took responsibility and said economic pressure pushed him to commit that grand deception. I might have taken a decision to go to court to sue the chef on behalf the devil if he had laid the blame at the devil’s doorstep.
It was becoming too much for me to bear to hear of people always blaming the devil for things they and they alone are responsible for.
The underlying causes of some of the wrong actions are a combination of economic pressures and selfishness or economic pressures and greed or a combination of all three.
It is therefore important to deal with selfish tendencies or greed so as to minimise the potential for problems in our lives.
The embarrassment caused by Chef Smith to his family, friends, and his extended family is huge. This could all have been avoided if greed had been dealt with in his life and had exercised patience as well.
The idea of doing more than one job should be something that the crop of young people in the country now and even older folks should consider. It reduces the economic stress people often go through and therefore the potential for temptation to engage in risky behaviour.
Nobody should think that the cost of living is going to reduce drastically as time goes on. Climate change is affecting food production to some extent and resources like water are gradually diminishing so things are not going to be cheaper as the years go by.
Population is increasing year after year and so in our part of the world, innovation, prudent financial management and self-discipline are required, to be able to overcome the stress.
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
