Features
COVID-19 ‘locks down’ Accra New Town printing business
The name “Accra New Town” may suggest the area is a new settlement in the national capital but it is not.
The suburb dates back to many decades with an interesting history that deserves its separate spotlight.
If there is anything new about Accra New Town, it is definitely not the printing press business.
Like Abossey Okai is synonymous with vehicle spare parts, the vicinity is the hub of almost all printing needs from books, posters, invitation cards, t-shirts, branded souvenirs, banners, calendars and more.
Sight, smell and sounds
A cursory look is enough to confirm why it is the hub of printing; there are countless outlets of all magnitudes and ancillary businesses crowded along major streets there.
The sight and sound of printing machines, computer keyboards, cutting machines alongside the smell of ink and fresh paper, topped up with a display of beautifully designed banners and signages are characteristic of this area especially “High street”.
Things fall part
But in the last three months, COVID-19 pandemic has figuratively disconnected the power to the printing hub resulting in the temporal turning off of many printing machines.
The business is bearing the brunt of restrictions on social gatherings like weddings, funerals, churches, schools, workshops and other events, which has drastically declined the printing of invitation, programmes, flyers, exercise books, and souvenirs.
COVID-19 Restrictions
President Nana Addo Dankwa in March imposed various restrictions on social gatherings such as church, political party activities, as part of measures to curb the COVID-17 with only 25 expected to attend private funerals.
After weeks of economic meltdown, the restrictions were eased on May 31 with church, weddings, conferences, funeral expected to have not more than 100 people and adherence to social distance protocols.
As of June 12, the country had recorded 11,118 confirmed cases out of which 3,979 people had recovered with 48 succumbing to the virus.
Even though the restrictions have been eased some owners of printing houses in the town has it has not eased the pain suffered by the economic blow dealt the sector by the pandemic.
Impact
Many printing outlets at New Town have closed down. Those still open have either laid-off their staff or frozen their engagement until further notice. Clients do not walk in in their numbers. The industry is on ice.
Inkit Ghana Limited is one of the biggest signage and digital printing company in Accra New Town and Ken Sarfo, a staff, tells the Ghanaian Times that the pandemic has gravely affected business.
Before the pandemic, he said, the company could print about 10,000 different items within a day including 500 pieces of funeral booklets but now the company handles just about 100 in some days.
“There is virtually no business. Our business comes if there are social gatherings. So definitely the restrictions are having a great impact on the business” he said.
According to Mr Sarfo, the church was one of their biggest clients but due to the low key Easter celebration, they lost out on the printing of posters, banners and other advertising materials.
“By this time in an election year, we would have been printing a lot of party paraphernalia but there are no political activities. Jobs do not come”, he said adding that most clients who come in prefer softcopies of invitation cards and posters so they distribute on social media.
Electricity reliefs and MSME support
The Government has absorbed 50 per cent of the electricity bill for residential and commercial consumers, for three months, which began in April, as part of reliefs to support industry, enterprises and the service sector who have been hard hit by the impact of the restrictions to curb the pandemic.
Additionally, a GH₵1 billion Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) business support programme has been instituted to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with soft loans to survive the impact of the pandemic on their operations.
But according to Ebenezer Sarpong, a caretaker of an a printing press which he asked not to be named, all these measures were good but for the printing industry it would not soothe their pain because “ our business thrives on events, so if there are no events, we do not exist”.
He would not say how much his company has lost but indicated that the printing industry in general has lost millions of cedis.
Contribution to awareness creation
Kwame Boahen, a freelance designer called on the government to collaborate with graphic designers so they produce awareness creation materials adding that” it is through this collaboration that we could get something small to heal our wounds.”
Glimmer of hope
The sad tale of the industry’s woes was the same in other outlets the Ghanaian Times visited.
But one thing that ended most of the narrations of the interviewees was a prayer that the pandemic would be over before the last quarter of the year .
This is because they are still hoping to make money from intense political campaigns, weddings and funerals that usually define that time of the year.
“We hope and pray that God heals our land so life returns to normal”, Mr Sarfo of Inkit said.
Until this prayer is answered and all restrictions lifted, it appears the industry would remain locked down by COVID-19.
Source: Ghanaian Times
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
