Features
Akan constituency MP Engr. Yao Gomado, a definition of selfless leadership
Engr. Yao Gomado
From denying himself the luxury and prestige of riding in a V8 Landcruiser vehicle like other Members of Parliament (MPs), to rather invest in the wellbeing of his constituents, Akan Constituency MP in the Oti Region, Engr. Yao Gomado, is setting an example as far as selfless leadership is concerned.
Voted into power in 2020 on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Engr. Gomado easily won the 2024 primaries to contest for another four years, owing to his unmatched track record as a first timer in areas including health, education, roads and most significantly, portable water for his constituents.
To address the acute water challenge within the constituency, Engr, Gomado with support from some non-governmental organisations, constructed 52 manual and 39 mechanised boreholes during his first term.
He also organised six consecutive free eye screening exercises which benefitted over 11,000 constituents and fully paid for surgeries for several people referred to the St. Joseph and St. Theresa Hospitals to restore their sights.
He also ensured the provision of ultramodern facilities at the St. Theresa Hospital Eye Clinic to operate efficiently.
On education, Engr. Gomado provided laptops, desktops and printers to the Kadjebi district directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES), donated 43-inch flat-screen television sets to the Kadjebi-Asato Senior High School (SHS), Dodi-Papase Senior High Technical School and Ahamansu Islamic Senior High School in order to ensure students were abreast of current news across the globe.
He also donated 1,440 mathematical sets to candidates of the 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as well as 1,260 and 1,600 sets to the 2022 and 2023 BECE candidates, respectively, aside organising Special Mock Examination with supervision from the GES to improve BECE results.
With the interventions, the results improved from 21 per cent in 2021 to the currently (2023) 70.7 per cent with expectation of an increase this year.
On roads, Engr. Gomado reshaped the Dapaa Junction via Dodo-Amanfrom to Dodo-Fie feeder roads as well as Dodo-Amanfrom to Dodi-Atta Kofi portions, using his four-year salary as collateral to purchase equipment for the construction.
Born on October 20, 1966, Mr Gomado started school at the Agbozome AME Zion Primary School and wrote his Common Entrance exams in 1978 after which he enrolled in the Royal Technical Institute (ROTECO) in Nungua where he studied Electrical Engineering Practice between 1978 and 1982.
He then went to Takoradi Polytechnic now Takoradi Technical University to study Electrical Engineering Technician Part Two in 1983.
While studying at ROTECO, young Gomado was living at Tema Community 5 and would usually walk to and from school since there was no money for transportation.
“I connect the beach road to Tema from Nungua through the Regional Maritime University (RMU) then the Regional Maritime Academy, and always admired the officers in the Navy uniform and students in the cadet uniform. That was where my dream of becoming a Marine Engineer was nursed. Eventually I gained admission to the Maritime Academy in 1985 to pursue Marine Electrical Engineering and graduated in 1987,” he narrated.
He began his career as a Merchant Navy Personnel with a Singaporean company before his national service at Akosombo Volta Lake Transport Company where he was attached to a German company that build the current tug boats and cargo barges that transport goods from the Akosombo port to Buipe.
Owing to his technical background, he was promoted to Junior Electrical Engineer in five months ahead of the 12 months mandatory cadetship and rose to Senior Marine Electrical Engineer.
From 1989 to 2011, Mr Gomado had sailed waters across the globe as Marine Electrical Engineer with shipping companies including Neptune Orient Lines, Singapore, Pacific Carriers Limited, Singapore and its sister company, PSM Perkapalan Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia.
In 2011, he decided to settle in Ghana and build his career since he had attained much experience and his expertise were needed at ports and shipyards/drydocks across the continent.
While in Ghana, he was instrumental in the contribution of the FPSO Evans Attah-Mills and J.A Kufuor in 2016 and 2017 respectively, as he was in charge of the calibration of welding and fabrication equipment working with Seaweed Engineering Limited in Takoradi.
Mr Gomedo then built a hotel in 2018 at Klagon in Accra where he hosted the executives of the Akan Constituency who were in the capital for Congress.
Moved by his generosity, the executives invited him to join the party and contest in the 2020 primaries where he won to begin his political life.
For him, it has been a smooth journey and looking forward to another four years of service to his people and making their livelihoods better.
He is also looking forward to contributing to the reduction of unemployment by the John Mahama led admiration with focus on the maritime sector as done in other developed countries owing to his experience in the sector for over 25 years.
“Universities must begin to provide courses that will provide immediate jobs for the youth, otherwise, they must be scrapped to avoid the many unemployed graduate situations in Ghana,” he advocated.
Mr Gomado is happily married with three children and describes himself as a politician, a musician, businessman and marine engineer who was inducted by the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Ghana in 2017.
He loves music and was in a band for some time. He released an album in 2007, and scheduled to release another one in coming days. He also loves football and athletics.
By Michael D. Abayateye
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
