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Demanding accountability is the way to go
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Accountability is a fundamental principle in every human endeavour that ensures sustainability of the system that holds that society or organisation or institution together.
It is the hallmark of every thriving church, business, educational institution, organisation or nation. When God created the first human beings, our great grandparents Adam and Eve his wife, God the creator, established the principle of accountability, by telling them what they are allowed to do and what are forbidden.
Accountability establishes boundaries and therefore it ensures discipline, which guarantees obedience to regulations and laws and their enforcement.
In societies where accountability is entrenched in the social fabric, leaders are very receptive to the demands of the people. In such societies, resignation of leaders, when they misconduct themselves in public office, is a common practice. Accountability breeds a culture of moral responsibility, in which citizens value honesty, integrity, love for humanity, selflessness etc.
These are values that are required in people who want to lead in various capacities in leadership roles in any country that seeks to develop. A realisation that, leadership roles in public office is servant leadership is the key to effective leadership.
However, we have an unfortunate situation in our part of the world, especially in West Africa, where we have imported cultural or traditional practices, into our governance system. Persons in leadership roles, see themselves as Chiefs and Kings, instead of servants. This is what has hampered our development over the years.
We need to have a paradigm shift, where the President and all his appointees and leaders in state organisations and institutions and even leaders in the society as a whole, should realise that they are servants of the people they lead and not the other way round.
We are in a country where a former Minister could take the law into his hands, arrest a taxi driver who nearly got the Minister’s vehicle to be involved in an accident and take him into captivity, instead of taking him to the police station. We have parliamentarians, seeking to seek a new office when there is nothing wrong with the current one.
They are prioritising their comfort above that of the needs of the populace, because we still have a lot of schools under trees.
There is a need to rethink how we can conscientise our society, regarding our perception of what leadership means. The leaders are selected from the general society and therefore our leaders are a reflection of who we are. If the larger society is made of morally upright people, our leaders will not be of a different character.
A person gets elected into office and he immediately changes his phone number denying the people who voted him into office. He or she suddenly sees himself or herself as a big person, higher in status than the rest of us mere mortals and that is why you write an official letter to a Minister and seven months later, you do not get a response, despite follow ups.
If he were to see himself as a servant to the people, how on earth would he not have responded. It shows clearly, what his priorities are and his perception of how he sees himself in relation to his clients, the people wanting to see him. We need to embark on a rigorous educational drive to let people know that to be a leader in public office implies servanthood that is you are a servant of the people and not the other way around and therefore cannot impose their will on us. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
On Sunday, August 13, 2026, the Church of Pentecost (COP) International, Finland, held an impressive church service in Helsinki in honour of and to welcome Prophet Benjamin Arthur as the new National Head.
The well-attended service formally ushered in Prophet Arthur who takes over from Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah, who has been the National Head since November 2020 and whose tenure as the National Head ended last month.
Prophet Arthur arrived in Finland from the UK where he has held many positions in the church to replace Apostle Owusu Kwaah who moves back to the UK.
A touching welcome and powerful ministration
The church service was officiated by Apostle Seth Samuel Asante, the National Head of the Church of Pentecost, USA.
It was a touching welcome church service and ministration at a well-attended event. In attendance were many religious leaders from other churches or missions, as well as dignitaries.
Apostle Asante had the honour to introduce Prophet Arthur to the whole congregation as the new National Head in Finland. He was joined by other church leaders and officers from UK, USA, and Finland to pray for Prophet Arthur and handed him over to COP Finland as their new National Head to a huge applause.
Earlier, Apostle Asante delivered a powerful and touching sermon that highlighted a message of salvation and the importance of knowing, loving and serving God with one’s whole heart. He entreated the audience to love God and do His work to glorify his name.
Stirring up understandings from the hymns: “My faith has found a resting place…” and “Guide me O Thou great Jehovah…,” as well as a number of quotations from the Bible, the Apostle gave a powerful preaching on the need to build one’s faith in God.
Response from the new National Head
In response, Prophet Benjamin Arthur preached the power of prophecies and God’s plan for redemption. He entreated all to believe in God’s power especially through prophecies to save mankind. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, he noted and add: “The blood of Jesus is not shed in vain”.
Surrounded by his beloved wife, Mrs Eugenia Arthur, and their three children, Prophet Arthur expressed gratitude to the members of the church for the resounding welcome they have accorded him as he starts to embark on his role and duty as the National Head.
He recognised the exploits and excellent leadership roles of his predecessors, Apostle Edmund Appiah (who was the first National Head) and Apostle Francis Owusu Kwaah.
COP’s future and growth in Finland
The Church of Pentecost in Finland was established over 25 years ago. It started in September 2000 as a prayer group with a small number of devoted persons in Helsinki (see www.copfinland.fi).
The group grew fast and there was the need to secure a new place of worship in the Helsinki area. The Church has grown and spread to other towns and cities in Finland.
Today, in Helsinki alone there are two branches of the Church. There is the Akan Assembly where worship is done mostly in the Twi language. The other branch is the English Assembly (or the PIWC) which is attended by other nationalities and African immigrants aside Ghanaian immigrants.
The COP Finland has become very formidable in the religious space in the Ghanaian community in Finland.
It has thus played a prominent role in the religious or spiritual existence of its members, as well as in people’s social lives as a key aspect of integration into the Finnish society.
The church continues to grow and, for example, it has been one of the major channels through which the Ghana Union Finland (GUF), an association for Ghanaian immigrants in Finland, has made more contacts with members of the Ghanaian immigrant community.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
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Features
Responding to religious insults with faith, wisdom and restraint …The Prophetic Model for Muslim–Christian Peace and Coexistence(Part 1)
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and from our evil deeds.
May His Peace and Blessings be Upon the Noble Prophet Mohammed, his household, companions and all righteous people till the Last Day. Ameen
GHANA, WE MUST NOT ALLOW A MOMENT OF ANGER TO DESTROY DECADES OF PEACE
My dear brothers and sisters in Ghana.
Today I speak about something that should concern every Muslim, every Christian and every responsible Ghanaian.
Recent events involving controversial statements about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the arrest of an Islamic cleric accused of making statements advocating violence, and the arrest of a Christian preacher over alleged derogatory comments concerning the Prophet (pbuh) have generated considerable national concern. The Ghana Police Service has said the matters are under investigation and that due process will apply.
And now, reports of an alleged assault on a detained pastor have added another troubling dimension to the matter.
Let us be very clear:
Ghana is not at war.
Muslims are not at war with Christians.
2 | P a g e
Christians are not at war with Muslims.
For generations, we have lived together, traded together, worked together, attended the same schools, built communities together and, in many Ghanaian families, even married across religious lines.
Therefore, we must not allow the reckless words or actions of a few individuals to destroy the peace built by generations.
WHEN SOMEONE INSULTS THE PROPHET (PBUH), WHAT DOES ISLAM EXPECT
FROM ME?
This is the question we must answer.
Not: “How angry am I?”
But: “What does Allah require from me?”
Not: “What can I do to my enemy?”
But: “What did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) do when his enemies hurt him?”
This distinction is crucial.
Islam does not teach us to abandon our faith when we are provoked.
Islam teaches us how to behave because we have faith.
Allah says:
“Do not let the hatred of a people cause you to depart from justice. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” (Qur’an 5:8).
Notice the greatness of Islam.
Allah does not say, “Be just when people respect you.”
He says, be just even when you hate what they have done.
Therefore: An insult does not give me permission to become unjust.
The author is the Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governance Expert
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai
