Features
A genius breaking new grounds …the story of Lawrencia Aggrey-Bluwey
In the small town of Kpando Gadza in the Volta Region of Ghana, Ms. Lawrencia Aggrey-Bluwey was born to two Civil Servants; Dr. Francis Aggrey-Bluwey of blessed memory and Supt. Cecilia Aggrey-Bluwey.
She had a “fairly normal childhood” but discovered early in life that she was good at other intellectual activities such as spelling competitions, quizzes, debates, and delivering speeches.
It is, therefore, no wonder that she has climbed the academic ladder and at age 30, she is the youngest person pursuing Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Policy and Management at the University of Ghana Business School.
With quite remarkable experience as a health professional, Lawrencia is currently on the path of influencing health policy as she is focused on training up and coming healthcare professionals.
Speaking to The Spectator, she said “the only way to build a formidable health system is to fully equip the incoming generation of healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude to function effectively both within and outside the clinical setting.”
Education
Lawrencia obtained aggregate seven when she sat the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in second year at Asuofia D/A Junior High School, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region.
With this excellent score, she proceeded to Archbishop Porter Girls’ Secondary School (APGSS) at Fijai near Takoradi in the Western Region, where she studied General Science.
Recalling her days at APGSS, she highlighted her active participation in a number of extracurricular activities with debating as her favourite.
As Chief Debater and Assistant School Prefect at the time, she led her school to win second place on the national stage at Ghana at 50 Interschools Debate.
Lawrencia was a member of Ghana’s delegation to the International Junior Science Olympiad in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2006 where the team won a Bronze Medal.
Nursing
After successfully passing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), she gained admission to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree (Bsc) in Nursing at the University of Ghana Nursing School.
The decision to pursue nursing, according to her, was driven by “the passion to help people in pain and the need to impact the lives of many who need help within the healthcare setting.”
After certification as a Registered General Nurse (RGN), she began her career as a Rotation Nurse at the Achimota Hospital in Accra. She served also at other facilities including the Police Hospital, C&J Medicare Hospital at Sakumono, and the Shai-Osudoku District Hospital at Dodowa, where she spent the greater part of her working years in Clinical Nursing practice.
With about eight years experience as a healthcare professional in the public and private health sectors, Lawrencia aims to “change the narrative of the nursing profession” in the country and to reassure the public that “there are still good nurses in Ghana who can be trusted for their services to God and nation.”
Academia
Lawrencia said she felt “a strong urge” to impact more lives other than being a clinical bedside nurse, hence the decision to upgrade herself academically.
“I have always wanted to help health workers acquire top notch clinical and administrative skills so that they could deliver excellent healthcare and eventually make Ghana’s health system a formidable one,” she noted.
For this reason, she took up and completed Postgraduate Diploma in Education at the University of Education, Winneba in 2015 and went ahead to acquire Master of Philosophy Degree (Mphil) in Health Services Management at the University of Ghana Business School in 2017.
This knowledge and her prior clinical experience, therefore, laid the foundation for her to well establish herself as a professional teacher and health services manageress.
Lawrencia began her tutoring journey at Wisconsin International University College at Haatso, Accra, where she handled Health Management courses at the School of Nursing and supervised both nursing and midwifery students.
She is currently an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, where she teaches Health Administrators and Educators, and has additional skills in classroom and curriculum management, teaching, supervision, data collection and data analysis.
Interests
As an Academic and Researcher, she has interests in Health Policy (Conventional and Alternative Healthcare), Healthcare Governance, Nursing Advocacy, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Health Education.
She noted that the field of Conventional and Alternative Medicine was still at its infant stage hence the need for government and stakeholders to focus more attention on that sector.
“Health policy for both Conventional and Alternative Medicine is the discipline which sets the foundation for providing the best level of healthcare.
“It is the pillar which gives us the capacity to plan and make solid decisions which are of major importance in protecting the collective welfare of the entire population in our Health System,” she said.
The Lecturer further observed that there were “numerous inconsistencies especially with the implementation stages of our health policies,” in our part of the world hence her passion to “delve into the policy circles and make significant impact.”
Inspiration
Ms Lawrencia Aggrey Bluwey said her inspiration comes from seeing the people around her succeed as well as her quest for excellence in everything she does.
“I am very passionate about challenging the status quo as it has always been my aim to prove to the world that it is very possible to go beyond perceived societal barriers and make a difference in whatever you set to do,” she said.
In spite of the challenges of juggling professional and family roles, she says that it is “important for women to develop their intellectual and professional capacity in order to “improve the society in which we live.”
She insists that social barriers should not limit young girls from achieving their dreams, and that they should identify a mentor, be ready to learn, imbibe the word of God and have the determination to succeed in all endeavours.
By Ernest Nutsugah
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
