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ENOUGH OF THESE RECKLESS, BASELESS AND UNFOUNDED ALLEGATIONS!
It is always important to control our tempers and emotions at all times even in the midst of provocations in order not to regret afterwards when the truths are eventually out. Reacting momentarily to situations without examining the impact and consequences is a dangerous approach which should be avoided whatsoever. When such situations occur and retractions and apologies follow later, the end result will be a disgrace to the person and a mockery from the larger society.
The Member of Parliament for Asawase in the Ashanti Region, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka is reported to have unreservedly apologised to the Supreme Court over allegations of bribery he made about an unnamed member of the bench.
In a formally written letter of apology to the Supreme Court, Alhaji Muntaka, who is the current Deputy Chief Whip in Parliament, withdrew the allegations and expressed regret about the unintended damage his comments had on the image of the judiciary and the Supreme Court in particular.
BRIBERY ALLEGATION:
Muntaka is reported to have alleged that a certain Supreme Court judge attempted to bribe a member of parliament of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to vote for the immediate past Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, against the candidature of the NDC, Rt Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin, the current Speaker of Parliament on January 7, 2021.
When this matter came to the knowledge of the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah he caused a statement to be issued by the Judicial Secretary expressing his shock about the allegation. The statement said; “The general public is hereby assured that the Chief Justice considers this allegation of impropriety a matter of grave importance to the integrity of the judiciary.”
RETRACTION AND APOLOGY:
But in his retraction and apology statement, Alhaji Muntaka said the disclosure was borne on a report from a trusted colleague which was that she had been approached by a Justice of the Supreme Court seeking to entice her to vote for a particular candidate during the contest for the Speakership of parliament.
“Admittedly because I did not specifically name any judge, this may have had the effect of scandalising the judiciary in its entirety. This unintended consequence is deeply regretted. I ,therefore, wish to respectfully retract same and apologise for the harm done to the image and reputation of my Lords Justices of the Supreme Court and the judiciary as a whole. Based upon good counsel, I have decided to let sleeping dogs lie and will consequently refrain from any further public commentary on the matter which I have indicated was originally reported to me by a female colleague parliamentarian.”
RECKLESS AND UNFOUNDED ALLEGATIONS:
On the spur of the moment, one can make certain reckless, baseless, unfounded and serious allegations which cannot be substantiated and that will turn out to tarnish and damage his or her reputation later when there is no iota of prove to support his or her allegations.
In actual sense, Alhaji Muntaka’s case should not be taken lightly for the fact that he is a parliamentarian and one of the country’s lawmakers and ought to know best that such reckless and unsubstantiated allegations are matters that cannot be tolerated in our democratic dispensation. It does not serve any purpose to malign people and for that matter a constitutional body like the judiciary, when you don’t have any clear evidence to support your allegations. When you later realise your mistakes and retract and apologise thereof, you expose yourself to public ridicule.
PARLIAMENTARIANS AND THE POSITIONS THEY OCCUPY:
While reprimanding our lawmaker for bringing an embarrassment to himself and the position he occupies in parliament, it is important to set the record straight for other MPs and people occupying positions of trust to be careful of their negative utterances without concrete proofs in order not to soil their image and reputation thereby incurring the displeasure of the people and exposing themselves to ridicule.
Our MPs are being reminded that the people gave them their mandates to serve them in parliament based on integrity and track record in their constituencies. The institution of parliament is a serious organ of state which is one of the three arms of governance. It is the watchdog of public interest and make Standing Orders to regulate its procedures. Whilst the Executive Power is vested in the President who is the Head of State, the law making powers of state are vested in Parliament.
Therefore, it requires that players within it, must show seriousness in their actions and whatever they do in that sacred institution. The over 30 million Ghanaians look up to them for guidance and counselling and, therefore, they must behave responsibly.
Ghanaians do not want to listen or hear such baseless and unfounded allegations which have no proofs whatsoever from those we have titled honourable because of their positions in the society. We are, indeed, tired of some of these reckless and baseless statements from our leaders and we say enough of these loose talks.
TREATMENT OF THE APOLOGY LETTER:
For now, the honourable member of parliament has submitted his letter of apology and retraction to the Chief Justice and for that matter the Judicial Service for consideration and subsequent pardon, but that is not the end of the matter. The decision to accept his apology lies in the bosom of the Chief Justice and the Judicial Service in general. Ghanaians will be waiting with bated breath for the outcome of this case.
However, one important issue which is not clear in Alhaji Muntaka’s apology is for the fact that he insisted that it is a trusted female colleague MP who broke the bribery allegation to him yet he failed to name that person in his apology.
Politicians occupying positions of trust must differentiate between political activities and their status in the society and always do the right things expected of them.
BY CHARLES NEEQUAYE
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
