Features
Examining the ‘conduct’ of 2 new DCEs
The Government just released the much awaited list of 260 nominees for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive positions across the country.
By law, their confirmation by their respective Assemblies will qualify them to assist President Akufo-Addo to govern the country at the local government level.
Mr. Lawrence Edutuah-Asiaw is now the newly installed District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District in the Central Region.
Mr Edutuah-Asiaw delivered an emotional speech after his confirmation at the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly Hall.
His speech, reportedly touched the hearts of many people in the Assembly Hall, thus, moving some to tears.
He said when his name was announced as the nominated DCE of the area, he heard some people saying: “His mother is a beggar and for that matter, he does not deserve the DCE position.”
He stated; “because of politics people who have no idea about my upbringing, are saying my mother begs for food to feed herself and her children and questioned the basis of my appointment.”
A graduate with a degree in Education, Mr Edutuah-Asiaw said, a lot of people expressed reservations about the sour comments made by such people about his appointment.
According to 29-year-old Edutuah-Asiaw, he was rather inspired by such comments , “because if a beggar’s son can be elevated to such a position, by the grace of God, then truly there is nothing impossible for ‘the living God’.”
He said; “in life, God prepares people to shine lights in your path, and my mother is one shining example of a person who moved all odds to ensure that l received what she was not privileged to have, ” adding that; “that is the essence of humanity.”
Mr Edutuah-Asiaw pledged : “I will not disappoint my mother, myself, the President and the entire District for this honour done me,” stressing; ” I will serve the District with all the energy God has gifted me.”
He expressed his gratitude to all the people who played various roles in nominating and consequently confirming him as the new DCE of the District.
Mr Edutuah-Asiaw was among 22 aspirants in the District who were interviewed for the position of DCE of the area.
Some of the spectators who witnessed his confirmation gathered in small groups after the ceremony; with some whispering intently: “Who Jah bless, no one curse.
“Impossible is not a ring-tone of God; the future is unknown for all humans and it is not only the rich ones who must attract the eyes of God.”
All the 46 members of the Assembly voted “YES” to confirm Edutuah-Asiaw as the new DCE, thus, exceeding the two- thirds legal minimum requirement.
On Friday, October 1, 2021, the President’s nominee for the position of DCE in the Nanumba South District, Mr Issifu Zakaria was also reportedly confirmed by the 40-member District Assembly.
He obtained 28 YES-votes against 12 NO-votes, representing 70 per cent of the required votes to be approved.
Shortly after his confirmation, however, Mr Issifu Zakaria and his supporters allegedly seized the official vehicle of the Assembly which was being occupied by the out-going DCE who witnessed the ceremony.
Reportedly, the outgoing DCE was forced out of the vehicle and his belongings thrown out for the new DCE to take over the vehicle.
Eyewitnesses claimed, the outgoing DCE was left stranded and helpless until a Good Samaritan arranged for a private car to take him home.
It is said that “failure is an orphan” while “success even attracts very distant relatives.” Because the outgoing DCE was not re-nominated by the President, he has suddenly become an orphan while the new DCE is attracting more and more ‘distant relatives’ he hardly knows.
Some of the spectators who witnessed the embarrassing scene reportedly remarked; ” it is unfortunate the new DCE acted the way he did, disgracing the outgoing DCE who attended the ceremony to help confirm him as his successor.
“The new DCE acted without regard to formal ways of doing things. Is the vehicle not supposed to be handed over officially to him?
“If the seizure of the vehicle is an aspect of Mr Zakaria’s leadership style, then Nanumba South District will soon be plunged into chaos.
“Is it not the same Zakaria who led demonstrations in the aftermath of the NPP 2020 parliamentary primaries at Wulensi, leading to destruction of the party’s office and the party’s pick-up vehicle; because his preferred candidate failed to win the primaries? “
Wikipedia defines ‘conduct’ as the manner of guiding or carrying oneself; personal deportment; mode of action and mode of behaviour. In effect, ‘conduct’ means a person’s behaviour, especially from the standpoint of morality and ethics.
Readers, from the foregoing, while the ‘conduct’ of Edutuah-Asiaw deserves commendation, the ‘conduct’ of Issifu Zakaria must be immediately and urgently investigated by the government.
It is by proper and thorough investigation that the truth of the matter will be established.
And if found culpable, this column strongly recommends that Mr. Zakaria must be severely sanctioned to serve as deterrent to other new DCEs who are cast in his “terrible mould.”
Contact email / WhatsApp of the author :
asmahfrankg@gmail.com ( 0505556179)
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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
