Features
Bawumia, an economic genius
Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia
When Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia made it clear that if given the opportunity to choose between the Ghana Card on the one hand and some road interchanges on the other, he would prefer to choose the Ghana Card, many people, especially those in the opposition, lambasted him and rained insults on him just because they did not understand the essence of his choice.
What Vice President Bawumia meant when he made the choice of the Ghana Card was that the card was a facility or document that could make things easy as far as business transactions between individuals and corporate organisations are concerned. He meant that the document known as the Ghana Card was going to facilitate all transactions and make things easy for socioeconomic development in the country.
Some of the direct benefits of his profound statement and choice are that the Ghana Card would serve as an identity to make it easy for people to register for their health insurance, merge their SSNIT numbers with it, and also help everyone to be easily identified for the purpose of participating in elections in the country at any point in time.
The Ghana Card, which serves as our national ID card, would also serve as an employee identity card on all occasions and help the country to fish out criminals in the country. Again, going for loans from the banks or engaging in any form of business transaction could also be facilitated through the use of our national identity card, otherwise known as the Ghana Card.
If the Ghana Card can be used for all these purposes, among other things, then it stands to reason that all forward-looking citizens of this country ought to understand and embrace it for its socioeconomic values. It takes only a genius like Vice President Dr. Bawumia to understand the essence of our national ID card, the Ghana Card. It is this card that can help promote revenue collection and also promote business transactions in any part of this country for the reconstruction of Ghana’s economy. If this is the case, then it is possible to use the ID card, which is the Ghana Card, to generate enough revenue to rebuild roads, hospitals, schools, road interchanges, and many other good things in the country.
Those who misunderstood the Vice President are not the reading type or lack knowledge of processes that could easily lead to the building of facilities and other good things in the country.
From this, it becomes clear that Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia is a genius whose foresight goes beyond that of his political opponents. Understood in this way, the Vice President is a great economic genius whose contribution to the economic growth of the country is beyond measure.
He should be seen as a great asset that is far better than many of the human commodities we have in this country. His plans and programmes for this country go beyond the immediate benefits that this country can derive from our national growth.
WHO THEN IS A GENIUS?
A person can be described as a genius when he’s knowledgeable, creative, skilled, and understands the present and the future. Such a person also knows what can be done today to push us further or forward for progress in the future. In other words, such a person has foresight as far as economic strides are concerned.
It is good that Vice President Bawumia is the Head of the National Economic Management Team and is collaborating with other hardworking personalities such as the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, and many others in the country to ensure that Ghana moves on smoothly to achieve the ultimate economic goal for the country. This is what we need to meet all the challenges facing a developing country like Ghana and propel the country from its current economic level to a higher pedestal of economic development.
The world has been facing serious economic challenges as a result of the Russian-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic. These developments have taught Ghana and many others in the world that we need to take pragmatic measures to strengthen our economy and make it more resilient to economic shocks.
The Akufo-Addo administration has, therefore, reacted positively to this development, making it possible for the country to make strides in the face of global economic challenges.
In spite of the challenges facing the country, the Akufo-Addo administration, ably supported by Vice President Bawumia, the Finance Minister, and the Economic Management Team, is putting up 111 district health facilities across the country. In addition, 307 ambulances have been supplied to all parts of the country, and today, every constituency has at least one ambulance.
Furthermore, drones have also been brought in to supply essential drugs to distant places throughout the country. In addition to all these, free Senior High School, Technical and Vocational Education and Training are also ongoing to ensure that the manpower needs of the country are being met in the right way.
Coming back to Vice President Bawumia as a genius, it should not be forgotten that his role in the economic team is helping to transform the economy of Ghana. Indeed, certain positive measures have been taken to make it possible for the Cedi to gain essential value and appreciation. It should not be forgotten that Vice President Bawumia has announced that the government has decided to use gold instead of the US dollar for the purchase of crude oil into the country. This is working perfectly well, and many fuel-exporting countries have sent representatives into the country to take advantage of this new arrangement.
In connection with this, all those involved in the legal mining of gold in the country are to deposit the gold they gather in rural banks for these banks to deal with the Precious Minerals and Mining Companies (PMMC) for export.
This is an ingenious measure that can come from practical-oriented minds that can overturn the economic challenges facing the country.
Similarly, Dr. Bawumia and his economic team have also succeeded in controlling speculation regarding the value of the US dollar.
What is more, Dr. Bawumia and his team under the direction of President Akufo-Addo have made it clear that, beginning in 2023, our foreign imports will be cut by 40 per cent. Those who want to bring in commodities like imported cooking oil and imported chicken will have to find their own foreign currencies for that purpose but not request dollars from the Bank of Ghana.
These and many other measures taken by Dr. Bawumia and his Economic Management Team under the direction of President Akufo-Addo have helped ease the pressure on the US dollar. This explains why the Cedi is performing wonderfully well and appreciating in value.
For all these reasons, those who are only concerned about empty politics that cannot bring any benefit to the country would have to stop the misdirection of their energy and collaborate with the government to ensure that we are able to achieve our ultimate goal of economic development.
On the basis of this, let each and every Ghanaian support the efforts of the Economic Management Team and also pray that President Akufo-Addo continues to provide the good leadership he has made available for the country so that both the present and future generations will benefit from the current programmes and policies being implemented.
By Dr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
Email address/whatsApp number of author:
Pradmat201@gmail.com (0553318911)
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
