Features
Economic situation: Who to blame
• Economic problems not limited to Ghana
Since the emergence of the economic problems encountered in Ghana and other parts of the world, many are those who have tried and attempted to put blame on other people for the economic turmoil.
Here in Ghana, the blame has been put on the Akufo-Addo administration even though in the view of objective minds, the blame is unfair. Others have singled out the Finance Minister, Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta and even accusing him of behaving recklessly even though we know and agree that he’s one of the best Ministers of Finance in the world today.
The economic problems of Ghana cannot be limited to only this country. The economic challenges extend to other parts of the world and that is why we need to be very careful before putting blame unjustifiably on anyone.
If we are to blame anyone, then irrespective of political affiliation, we need to be bold enough to call on past leaders who mismanaged the economy when they were in the helm of affairs. The economic problems being encountered today could have been avoided if the right steps had been taken in the past.
What is happening today is the result of certain wrong policies and decisions made in the past.
We should not easily forget about the loss of revenue that should have accrued to the country if the right things had been done. Investments in guinea fowls which we were told flew to Burkina Faso has become a laughing stock and goes to show that some of our past leaders ought to bow their heads in shame for failing to live up to expectation as far as sound economic policies are concerned.
This can be dovetailed into corruption which has been embraced in various parts of the country. Corrupt practices are shameful but this is what others have used to enrich themselves to the neglect of the nation. This situation is very unfortunate.
Corruption is practised not only by Ghanaians but foreigners as well. Many Ghanaians have proved to be so corrupt that they will do everything necessary to ensure that revenue due the country is denied it. These Ghanaians collaborate with their fellow nationals to destroy the economy and to deny the country what should come to it by way of revenue.
The collaboration in corrupt practices is sometimes carried out with foreigners and when this happens, it is as if Ghanaians do not care about what happens to their country even if foreigners are simply coming in to destroy it in any way they like. People need to learn to love their country rather than conniving with others to destroy the country’s dignity.
One of the things that readily comes to mind is the GH¢52 million paid to a man called Woyome for no work done to the state. Such “woyomisation” of the Ghanaian economy is part of the reasons we find ourselves in the present economic mess.
Another issue similar to this is ISOFOTON. This is a foreign company that also enjoyed the payment of millions of dollars for no work done to the country. All these could not have been possible without the connivance of some Ghanaians whose selfish interest they placed above that of the nation. These are shameful acts and occurrences that have contributed to the economic woes of this country.
Furthermore, a banking crisis was looming over the country because arrangements were put in place to relax the setting up of banks, a situation which led to lack of confidence in the banking sector. This forced the Akufo-Addo administration to look for some millions of Cedis to clean the banking sector.
With regard to the banking sector, some educated Ghanaians who were not patriotic connived with one another to take some monetary assistance from the Bank of Ghana to strengthen their so-called banking institutions. The support received in monetary terms was converted into dollars and taken abroad for their personal and selfish investments. All these have contributed to the economic difficulties the country is facing today.
Many of the economic problems we are facing today have been created by Ghanaians themselves yet they turn round to put the blame on the Finance Minister Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta and also the entire Government of Ghana today.
There is no doubt that external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and its disastrous effects have contributed to the country’s problems. It has been argued in certain quarters that the pandemic was deliberately created by certain people in certain parts of the world. However, whatever it is, we cannot put the blame on any specific group of people in the world.
It is equally important to note that the economic difficulties that Ghana and the rest of the world are facing are partly the result of the Russian-Ukraine war. As a result of the war, the food chain connecting various parts of the world has been disturbed in a way and the result has been inflationary trends in various parts of the world including Ghana.
Again, if things are to be made better for all Ghanaians, then among other things, Ghanaians must put up a positive attitude towards work. This is what will make it possible for productivity to go high in order to be able to increase the welfare of all citizens in the country.
It is, therefore, wrong for anybody or group of persons to put the blame of the present economic turmoil on any persons. Let us look inward within ourselves to see where things have gone wrong and how these things can be made better for each one of us.
If this is the case, then almost everyone in this country is blameable for the current economic difficulties we are going through, especially the vociferous critics in Ghana today.
Let us learn to accept the blame ourselves and refrain from blaming others unduly.
*Contact gmail address/ whatsApp number of author:
pradmat201@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
