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Allotey-Jacobs on assassination anvil?
When assassination becomes a political business, then as a modern democratic nation, we are dangerously gravitating towards real hell on earth.
What at all will compel a fully-grown adult brother to kill his fellow brother over disagreement on mere political questions?
What then is the value of our touted democracy; pluralism, free speech, freedom of expression, free press, rule of law, human rights, freedom of association and free and fair elections?
That is, when we cannot agree to disagree on matters related to our own political parties and national political issues? What then is the essence of tolerance in democracy and nation building?
Readers, I am appalled to read on social media that my good friend, Bernard Allotey-Jacobs, is running for cover over alleged assassination attempt on his dear life.
Allotey-Jacobs is now a political household name in Ghana. For the records, he was a former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Recently, Allotey-Jacobs fell out with his political masters in the NDC. First, he was suspended from the party and about two weeks ago, he was knocked out from the NDC, with a dismissal letter.
What saddens my heart is that just about a week ago, he posted this on his social media platform: “If you hear I’m dead, point a finger at the NDC. They sent assassins to kill me in Cape Coast.”
According to Allotey-Jacobs, some faceless NDC members had sent a death-squad after him.
He said, he was alerted by a high-profile member of his party, adding that, it was also confirmed by his friend, Honourable Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central.
Allotey-Jacobs said: “The assassins have been stationed in Cape Coast to search and kill me by any means,” contending that, “the NDC thinks I will reveal their secrets to the public.”
According to him: “The NDC is capable of assassinating me; I trust the NDC in some of these things … I’ve been around for a long time in Ghanaian politics and I know a lot of things.”
In a language not good for the health of our national politics, the Central Regional branch of the NDC has, however, denied Allotey-Jacobs claim that the party is after his life.
But years and years ago, a high profile NDC personality, Dr Obed Asamoah, held a press conference in Accra and announced to the nation that some elements within his party wanted to assassinate him. At that time, there was intense power struggle within the NDC.
Some of us were initially surprised to hear this, but it is said that; when a baby-crocodile suddenly jumps from beneath the pond and publicly announces the death of his mother-crocodile, who can challenge such baby-crocodile?
Readers, which human can courageously descend beneath the pond to ascertain whether what the baby-crocodile is announcing about the mother is true or false?
So, the answer is: You either believe it or disbelieve it. This is because if you descend beneath the pond to ascertain the truth, you may not return alive.
Honourable Kennedy Agyapong has, however, added another twist to Allotey-Jacobs predicament. According to him, Allotey-Jacobs may be killed like the way J. B. Danquah-Adu was assassinated in his own house.
The late J. B. Danquah-Adu was a prominent Member of Parliament, representing the people of Abuakwa North Constituency in the Eastern Region. His assassins have still not been established since he was killed about eight years ago. But two persons were arrested and are presentlly standing trial at an Accra High Court in connection with the MP’s death.
Relating his own experience, Mr Agyapong said, some people attempted to assassinate him in his own house and in the process, they ended up shooting and killing three police men.
He urged Mr Allotey-Jacobs not to joke with the matter at all “because the assassination threat on his life is real” and advised him to hire security guards to protect him.
Allotey-Jacobs, assures that he has reported the matter to the Central Regional Police Command and expects appropriate actions to be taken.
My professional cousins, Kwesi Pratt and Kweku Baako , can produce a tall list of names of people who went missing during the regimes of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
Such missing individuals were never found. They were believed to have been “captured” like animals and killed by the goons of the AFRC and PNDC regimes and their bodies buried in secret locations.
One may say that those days are gone but why and how was Ahmed Suale recently assassinated in broad daylight in Accra?
Ahmed Suale was an investigative journalist with the renowned Tiger Eye Group. His assassins are still walking free because they have not been arrested yet.
Readers, I think we must start asking very critical questions: What is the motive of the contractors who hire the assassins? And the assassins; have they “registered” their ” businesses” of killings?
How and where are the assassins located, identified and hired by the contractors? And who recruits the “killing contractors” too?
Contact email/WhatsApp of the author: asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
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
