Features
Economic recovery on course
Ken Ofori Attah
There is no doubt that, in spite of the current economic challenges, the government is working hard round the clock to ensure an effective economic recovery in order to make things better for Ghanaians in the country.
It is an indication of the determination of the government to surmount the obstacle that is affecting the country today. What makes us hopeful is that, in spite of the economic difficulties facing the country, developmental projects in all parts of the country are still ongoing.
Technical, Vocational, Engineering and Technology education (TVET) is going alongside the free SHS being implemented with maximum alacrity. Other projects, such as the new regional and district hospitals as well as the promotion of electricity and water in various parts of the country, among others, are ongoing. Again, electricity supply has been relatively constant compared to what was experienced previously under what became known as “Dumsor”.
In other parts of Africa, for instance, power outages have become a common phenomenon. The cases of South Africa, Nigeria and a few other African countries testify to this fact.
COUNT OUR BLESSINGS
It is for this reason that people in Ghana must be happy and hopeful for happy days ahead. We need to count our blessings one by one.
It is true that economic conditions are very tough, but from all indications, every effort is being made to bring the situation under control. The Debt Restructuring Programme by the government is meant to bring the situation under control in order to push forward positive growth and this is the reason why the government is still negotiating with its creditors to bring the debt level under control.
The Domestic Debt Exchange has been completed successfully. In the same way, efforts are also being made to enter negotiations with our foreign counterparts to bring the situation under control as far as the foreign debt level is concerned.
The debt level has gone up not because of any reckless spending. Rather, they went into the building of schools, both technical and grammar education, the provision of water and electricity for the people, the construction of roads and many others.
This is a country that has proven to be responsible as far as developmental projects are concerned. It is believed that very soon, positive economic results will be encountered.
NEGOTIATIONS ON DEBT RESTRUCTURING
Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta went to China to have negotiations on debt restructuring with officials of that country. Sources say the Minister went via Addis Ababa, where he attended the UNECA High-Level Ministers meeting on Global Financial Architecture. After that meeting, Mr Ofori-Atta headed to China on March 22, 2023.
The Minister who led the government delegation had bilateral talks with China as well as seek financial assurances for Ghana’s programme with the International Monetary Fund. This is an indication of the great effort being made by government to normalise the economic situation of the country and make it better.
The trip was postponed to the end of March because it coincided with the National People’s Congress of China meeting in early March 2023. The Minister of Finance has already held meetings with officials of Exim Bank China in Ghana, all in the line with re-profiling the country’s debt to China.
GENERATION OF FUNDS
The government is also working hard to derive enough money from Treasury Bills in order to keep things going. We therefore need to be hopeful because all these efforts are yielding the desired results in line with the economic recovery.
The Government of Ghana secured GH¢3.88 billion from the sale of treasury bills in its latest auction held on March 10, 2023. This was an oversubscription of the GH¢1.10 billion it was targeting.
However, interest rates have dropped significantly to 18 per cent. According to the auction results from the Central Bank, the government secured GH¢2.90 billion from the 91-day bill and GH¢972.49 million from the 182-day bill. The subscriptions surpassed the government’s set target of GH¢2.775 million but it sold more than the GH¢3.31 billion secured by the government in last week’s auction. Interest rates, however, reduced to 18.52 per cent for the 91-day bill, 22.8 per cent and 21.27 per cent for the 182-day bill.
CONFIDENCE IN ECONOMY
The oversubscription is an indication of great confidence in the Ghanaian economy. If there had been no confidence, there would have been undersubscription. This goes to show, among others, that things are on course for rapid recovery.
The fall in rates has been attributed to the successful debt restructuring program. According to the government, the Domestic Debt Exchange programme has accounted for the reduction in the rate of Treasury Bills from 35 per cent to 24 per cent.
There is therefore no doubt that things are gradually stabilising and getting better. If this is the case, then let us have confidence that, as long as we are on the right path, Ghanaians will soon smile.
What we are all seeking is for inflation to fall to a level that is lower than what it is now. If this happens, and it will surely do so, the economic recovery programme will move at a faster rate than it is now.
INFLATION
Inflation could fall sharply to below 40 per cent by the end of April 2023. According to a Senior Credit Research Analyst at REDD Intelligence, Mark Bohlund, his base effects analysis indicate that “inflation will fall by more than 10 percentage points by April 2023.”
The fall in inflation will not happen by mere chance. Rather, it will come about as a result of pragmatic steps taken by the government to achieve that purpose.
“The inflation rate has declined for two straight months and may fall more sharply to below 40 per cent by the end of April due to base effects,” said Mark Bohlund, a senior credit research analyst at REDD Intelligence. Bloomberg said the Ghana cedi, which whipsawed in 2022 over concern about its ballooning debt load and then optimism about a provisional International Monetary Fund bailout, has been relatively steady this year, helping to keep inflation in check.
ECONOMY TO BOUNCE BACK
In conclusion, therefore, the economic situation being experienced in Ghana is tough, admittedly, but the government has taken the right steps to ensure that positive results are achieved as early as possible. We must all therefore be hopeful that, as President Akufo Addo has said, the economy will surely bounce back.
Ghana will not continue to stay in this economic situation. We must therefore be hopeful in light of the ongoing recovery efforts that are taking place thanks to the bold economic steps put in place by the government.
The economic recovery is surely bound to occur within a short time, so we must all support the government with prayer and action in our daily practical dealings so that things will be better for all of us.
Email address/WhatsApp number of author:
Pradmat201@gmail.com (0553318911)
By Dr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
Today, I focus on the Apostolic Church International in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The Apostolic Church International, Finland (or, Apostolic International Association Ry) was established in October 9, 2023. The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
History of the Church in Ghana
The Apostolic Church Ghana originated from the 1904–1905 Welsh revival, officially established in Ghana (then called Gold Coast) in 1935 following connections between a local prayer group in Asamankese (a town in southern Ghana), led by Peter Newman Anim, and the Apostolic Church, UK. There were historical splits in 1939 and 1953, but the Apostolic Church attained autonomy in 1985.
Today, the Church is headquartered in Accra. Last year (2025), it dedicated its new 10-storey headquarters, “The Apostolic Church Tower,” in Frafraha, Adenta West in Accra.
Activities of the Apostolic Church in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11a.m. in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. in the afternoon. There are no other activities during other days for now.
The Minister in charge of the church in Finland is also the Area Head of Italy Area. He is Pastor Daniel Kofi Addison who is the new Italy Area Head, and has just been transferred from UK South Area to Italy Area during the just-ended Council Meeting in March this year. Italy Area comprises Italy, which has 13 Assemblies, Germany, one Assembly, and Finland, one Assembly.
Elder Ebenezer Amoaning-Coffie is the Presiding Elder in charge of the Assembly in Finland. A Presiding Elder is responsible for day to day activities of the church (Assembly) and reports to the District Pastor, or in the absence of the District Pastor, reports to the Area Head.
Achievements
The Apostolic Church International, Finland was officially registered under the Finnish Law, guaranteeing freedom of worship and providing legal foundation for future growth. The church service is conducted in both English and Twi.
The church opens its doors to all people of every nation, especially Ghanaians who are in Finland and other African nationals. Now, the membership comprises Ghanaians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans.
The Church and the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the Apostolic 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.
Elder Amoaning-Coffie said that the main and primary aim of the church is to bring people closer to God. “We aim to win souls for Christ. We aim to preach the gospel to the world. By propagating the gospel to the people, we are hopeful that they will turn away from any ungodly ways and be good individuals in the community and in society in general”, he stated.
He said that everything is going well so far. A key challenge, however, is how to get more members especially the youth. As a new Assembly, we are in need of instrumentalists, for example. We pray to God Almighty to help us do His work, the Elder disclosed.
Integration
By its activities, the Apostolic 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 in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Apostolic 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!
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
The landscape of the Ghanaian palate is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. In our bustling urban centres, from the streets of Accra to the suburbs of Kumasi, a quiet culinary revolution is taking place; one where the mortar and pestle are being replaced by the pizza oven and the deep fryer. This transition from traditional staple foods like fufu, banku, akple, kenkey, tuo zaafi, and ampesi toward “continental” dishes is more than just a change in appetite; it is a reflection of a deeper social struggle with identity and prestige.
The illusion of modernity
For many, “stepping out” for a meal has become synonymous with consuming foreign cuisine. There is an unspoken social hierarchy where a bowl of Abunuabunu is relegated to the village category, while burgers, pizzas are branded as prestigious choices. We have reached a stage where we equate foreign with modern and local with primitive.
This perception is a dangerous illusion. Our traditional dishes are marvels of culinary engineering complex, nutrient-dense, and deeply rooted in our history. When we choose a processed foreign import over a meal made from local tubers or fermented maize, we are not just changing our lunch; we are eroding the indigenous knowledge attached to our local ingredients and foods.
We need to turn the consumption of indigenous grains and tubers like millet, sorghum, and plantain into a statement of self-worth and national pride.
The cultural and health erosion
Every time a local dish disappears from a restaurant menu to make room for foreign fast food, we lose a piece of our cultural fabric. Traditional Ghanaian cooking is an art that requires patience and skill. By choosing the convenience of foreign fast food, we are raising a generation that may know the taste of a pepperoni pizza but cannot identify the rich, earthy profile of Prekese or the subtle tang of well-fermented dough dishes like corn porridge, banku, etew, abolo, agidi or kamfa, and kenkey.
Furthermore, we are at the crossroads of a nutrition transition. Replacing high-fiber, indigenous crops with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foreign fast foods is driving a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and liver disease. We are trading our longevity for 15-minutes convenience or unhealthy diet.
A call for culinary patriotism
It is time for us to appreciate, preserve, and promote our indigenous foods and culinary traditions. We need to be proud of our local dishes, ingredients and cooking methods, rather than relying heavily on foreign or imported foods. We must stop viewing our local delicacies as low-class and start treating our culinary heritage as the high-end gastronomy it truly is.
True sophistication does not come from imitating Western fast food; it comes from innovation and adding values to our own resources. We see glimpses of this potential in the rise of branded Sobolo and the creative use of gluten-free plantain flour in modern baking of flour-based dishes such as bread, cakes, biscuits and others. This is the path forward. We must elevate our local dishes, making them as accessible, affordable, presentable and trendy as any foreign alternative.
To the hospitality industry: Innovate or stagnate
Our hotels and high-end restaurants must lead the charge. They must stop relegating local dishes to the “traditional corner” of the buffet, and apply the same culinary finesse given to imported dishes to our Fante Fante, apapransa, aborbi tadi, fetritoto, akple, abolo, yakayeke, fufu, ampesi, kokonte, wasawasa, tubani, apapransa, mpotompoto, kelewele, aliha, brukutu, pito, and other local dishes. The industry must enhance customer experiences making eating local dishes the ultimate luxury experience for both tourists and residents alike. We must elevate the presentation of our foods by using modern plating techniques to show that a bowl of light soup can be as visually stunning as a French consommé. We need to reclaim our Ghanaian plate before it is too late.
To the policy makers: Let us encourage buying of local ingredients to promote the local food industry and economy. There should be educational programmes and talks about the nutritional and cultural benefits of local foods so that people understand their value.
We need to encourage serving traditional dishes at school programmes, parties, and celebrations instead of only fast foods,
To the Youth: Let us value and appreciate our traditional dishes instead of always choosing foreign foods. There must be balance in our choice of local and foreign dishes. Confidence in our culture encourages others to respect it too. Our local dishes can also be promoted by sharing pictures, recipes, and videos on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to make them attractive and trendy.
Young citizens must learn from their parents and elders how to prepare local meals to keep the knowledge and cultural relevance alive. Local dishes can be modernised to appeal to younger generations and tourists.
Conclusion
We cannot afford to trade our heritage for foreign cuisines which are gaining grounds across the country at an alarming rate. We must disabuse our minds of the perception that anything foreign or imported is better than those locally made. Our health, economy, and identity are tied to the soil. It is time to stop apologising for our local flavours and start celebrating them. It is possible to embrace modernity without losing ourselves and our cultural identity. Let us make the Ghanaian kitchen the heart of our modern identity once again.
By: Marilyn Gadogbe
