Features
Bird flu: Govt support for poultry farmers
Poultry farming has become an important business in the sense that when well organised, it can defy all dangers and rake in the needed profits unimaginable to farmers.
Many young people would want to engage in poultry farming especially after tertiary education but the fear is often of the risk associated with that kind of business. Indeed, farming can be undertaken by an individual or group of people who may come together in form of joint partnership.
It requires some financial capital which may not be obtained easily by individuals or even groups of people who agree to come together for that purpose. For this reason, they may have no choice but go to the bank to seek financial credit.
GOOD BUSINESS PLANS
Those who are fortunate or are able to provide good business plans receive the assistance they need from the banks. It may not be easy to get this form of assistance from the banks because of the risk associated with poultry farming.
During this business, there is always the need for the farmers to pay great attention to the birds from the beginning to the end. They’ll need to make sure the poultry is kept away from any kind of diseases and that the needed drugs are also provided for the birds to make them healthy and strong.
As a result of poultry farming, certain individuals have become very rich but the point must be made that it is not easy to make huge profits as a result of poultry farming as a business. What this means is that poultry farming is a good business venture but the farmers will always need to be very careful to ensure that they do not lose their birds.
GOOD SUPPLEMENT
The output from poultry is good in the sense that it supplements produce from crop farming. Crop farming provides foodstuffs which may be consumed by the population but we would need to combine this consumption with meat, fish or some other form of items like poultry. The benefits of poultry output are numerous. In the first place, it provides fresh chicken which is combined with foodstuffs and consumed by people. This ensures healthy growth of the body for both children and adults with the exception of those who are vegetarians. For non-vegetarians, poultry serves as a good source of protein for the body.
Apart from the poultry itself, another benefit comes in form of eggs. The eggs produced in this way serve as a source of business for many people in the country. The eggs serve as business items for many women who rely on such produce to fry or boil them for consumers. Other individuals also combine the eggs with the food they prepare and process them for consumption by people at the restaurant or other places where finished food is sold.
MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD
All this shows that the poultry business is very important and serves as a means of livelihood for a number of people. It is for this reason that the Government of Ghana is doing all it can to protect poultry farmers in the country and where necessary, support them with financial returns.
In spite of all this, the poultry business can be very risky in the sense that poultry farmers can easily lose their capital when the birds become attacked by Bird’s Flu or some other disease. This explains why poultry farmers are always very close to the health experts who have been trained in a professional manner to provide assistance to them as and when the need arises. It is for this reason that veterinary doctors are ever available and made ready to come to the assistance of our poultry farmers.
BIRD FLU OUTBREAK
A few months back, Ghana began to experience Bird Flu and other diseases in some parts of the country. Poultry farms in the Greater Accra Region as well as Ashanti and other places became affected but veterinary doctors went to their aid to bring the situation under control. However, great losses were made due to the slaughter of the birds that were suffering from the disease.
In view of this development, the government was forced to make money available to support the poultry farmers who lost their birds as a result of the infection of the disease on their farms. Those who had the birds destroyed were given certificates as proof. Government has already made available GH¢40 million to support the farmers who experienced losses. Out of the GH¢40 million promised, about GH¢21 million is now available for distribution to poultry farmers who can provide evidence of certificates for the destruction of their birds when they contracted diseases.
SALE OF HEALTHY BIRDS
We must always make sure that animals from the poultry farms are strong and healthy because if we are able to sell the healthy birds to consumers, we are likely to make far more money than would be the case when we are compensated by government. Half a loaf is better than none so the GH¢40 million provided by government as compensation would fulfil a good purpose. It will encourage our farmers to keep working hard despite the risk involved.
We commend government for this support especially at this time when we are now recovering from COVID-19 amid economic difficulties that have characterised many business transactions in the country.
Diseases that affect our poultry keep coming in to affect the poultry business and when we deal with them, they go away only to come back again at some time. The poultry farmers and the poultry health experts together with government must collaborate to work hard to ensure that such diseases are brought under total control and where possible prevented from affecting the poultry farms. This is what will help the poultry farming business to flourish well in this country.
Contact email/whatsApp address of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
By Dr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
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
