Features
Effective monitoring of mining
The environment constitutes an essential part of the earth requiring every person to pay serious attention to its protection, so as to be able to keep to what is known as sustainable development for mankind.
In fact, without an effective environmental protection, the earth on which we live will not be able to sustain itself for the existence and growth of mankind, as well as other things that depend on the environment. It is for this reason that all stakeholders need to come together and ensure effective strategies that would make it possible for all inhabitants on the earth to have their interest protected as far as guarding the environment is concerned.
This means that we need to devise strategies that are workable and are result oriented, so that the ultimate results will be beneficial to mankind and all other inhabitants on the earth. In this regard, all species ought to be protected in line with the desire of everyone to have the environment adequately and effectively protected. The various strategies needed here must be seen to be protecting the interest of all stakeholders.
STAKEHOLDERS
The stakeholders in this matter include miners, mining authorities and organisations, regulatory bodies like Environmental Protection Agency, Local Assemblies, Ministry of Environment, the Government, as well as individuals in organisations that make use of the enviroment through the various activities they undertake.
In connection with this, some high level seriousness is needed. Lack of seriousness will mean that the desire to address the issue of environmental protection will just serve as a talk shop but not serve as any practical way of addressing the matter, which is so essential for the survival of mankind and all other entities that dwell on the earth.
Government as a stakeholder must come out with policies on the environment, so that everyone in the country will share in its implementation. In the same way, the Ministries of Lands and Mineral Resources, and the Environment will all have to play a critical role in ensuring that policies are made workable and implemented well to the benefit of all stakeholders.
MINISTRIES CONCERNED
The Ministries concerned must, therefore, concern themselves with rigid coordination and implementation of policies and practices that will help preserve the environment.
Similarly, miners in all parts of the country must be closely monitored, so that no irresponsible behaviour in mining will be experienced anywhere in this country. Each stakeholder and implementing agency ought to show seriousness towards protection of the environment.
This means that the stakeholders will have to be groomed in crucial capacity building to make them more effective than ever before.
In all this, monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) becomes essential since, as far as the environment is concerned, the EPA is an important implementing agency.
EPA AS ESSENTIAL BODY
The EPA is an essential body in Ghana that ought to be given the support needed, so it can effectively monitor all activities that have an impact on the environment.
It is in light of all these, that, we are happy to hear about efforts being made by the EPA to work towards environmental protection. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of procuring more drones to boost its operations in mining communities.
It is important to note that the Agency is currently training its staff in the use of drones to monitor mining in their operational areas. The monitoring cannot be carried out with mere observation of people around but ought to be done through devices that can provide general overview within a short time, regarding the nature of mining that is taking place.
RE-TOOLING
Mr Adarkwa Yiadom, Obuasi Area Manager of the EPA, who made this known said the Agency was currently on re-tooling to empower the staff to effectively undertake their mandate. Re-tooling is important because without it, new devices and tools cannot be obtained to replace old or worn out gagdets that are needed for effective monitoring.
Mr Adarkwa Yiadom was speaking at a day’s workshop to sensitise stakeholders in mining communities to the new approaches to address their grievances and strengthen their relationships with mining companies operating in their communities.
WORKSHOP
The workshop was organised by the Centre for Social Impact Studies (CESIS), a Research and Advocacy NGO, to sensitise members in mining communities to the Mine Site Assessment Tool, which had been developed by the Centre.
Even though re-tooling for EPA is important, the training should not end up just like that. A training workshop is important but at the same time evaluation is equally essential to ensure that the purpose and aims of training are achieved.
CONTINUOUS EVALUATION
Similarly, when the monitoring takes actual implementation, there must be continuous evaluation to let all stakeholders know that monitoring of the implementation plan is made effective for the purpose of Ghanaians in the country.
In conclusion, the need to protect the environment cannot be taken for granted but should be made workable for the country. The use of drones by the EPA to monitor activities affecting the environment is important that is why every individual ought to be actively concerned about the issue, so as to bring about effective sanitisation of the environment for the good of the country.
Contact email/whatsApp address of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
By 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
