Features
Fight against corruption – need to review remuneration
The former President John Agyekum Kufour is on record that “Corruption has been with us since Adam.” This is an honest admission that corruption is a canker in our society. We all recognise that it has a very negative impact on our socio-economic development and must be uprooted by any means possible from our society. It is estimated that it cost the country about $3 billion each year, which is about 4.6% of GDP.
Some of the causes of corruption are due to certain perceptions of inadequate remuneration or compensation for effort, greed, unpatriotic behaviour etc. It is not for nothing that certain categories of workers are given some special treatment like bank employees for instance. This issue must be critically taken into account if the issue of corruption is to be seriously tackled. Consider a judge who sits on a case that involves an accused person who has stolen several millions of cedis. This judge is about to go on retirement and he does not have a house to his name in which he will go to rest on retirement. The potential for him to be easily influenced to condone crime is quite huge. Recent events involving some judges who have compromised their moral stance and judicial ethics are still fresh in our minds.
There is an attitude that has to be dealt with because it is endemic in our society, and if we are to do away with corruption, it must be given priority. Greediness is so entrenched in our cultural setting that there must be a concerted effort from government, civil society, opinion leaders, the clergy and every stakeholder to eradicate it. Education must start from the kindergarten level right up to the top to make sure that it becomes a negative value that must be frowned upon.The situation where people celebrate when their family members are appointed to governmental positions must be critically examined. The cause of the celebration is that once their brother or sister or son or father etc. is now in a position of authority, the financial situation of the entire extended family is going to improve. This puts pressure on the office holder to indulge in activities that are illegal and corrupt in nature to satisfy the family members and the community they come from.
One of the most important arms of government is the parliament, and if we are to ensure that corruption is eradicated from our society, they must actively be involved in it. It therefore becomes imperative for the parliamentarians to be treated in a special manner due to the sensitive role they play in our social and more importantly economic life. international transactions involving huge sums of money that impacts our national debt are approved by these people and the potential for their being influenced by unscrupulous business entities is very great. To ensure that the temptation of being induced to engage in corrupt acts is eliminated or reduced to the barest minimum, require that a second look is taken at the conditions of service of the parliamentarians. There are issues that have to do with their personal protection where they do not have personal bodyguards offered by the state as done for ministers of state. The quantum of money going into their pockets at the end of the month must be critically re-examined to ensure that their loyalty to the nation remains steadfast.
The need for a focused attention on our parliamentarians must be prioritised so that as a nation, the fight against corruption would be a collective national agenda in which parliament plays a pivotal role. It is very important that a national dialogue should be initiated to find appropriate ways of addressing this threat to national security called corruption. Currently, each budget the minister of finance comes up with each year has to be funded in part by donor support. There is research which shows how much we lose to corruption as a nation, and it is my humble opinion that if holes through which these monies are lost can be plugged, parliament has a big role to play. Public accounts committee sittings reveal a whole lot of corrupt practices and it would take parliament to enact laws that can make this practice a very expensive venture to contemplate so that it would be a deterrent to future potential perpetrators.
Another group of people that must be given priority attention is the executive arm of government. A look at the salaries of some CEOs of public institutions makes me wonder why they can earn salaries much higher than the President and the Vice-President who have been entrusted with the resources of the nation. There is a need to permanently resolve the nation retirement packages for the executive arm of government and the legislature because they can make or unmake the fortunes of the nation. The perennial back and forth concerning what end of service remuneration for the executive arm and the legislature must come to an end once and for all.
The practice whereby when a person is being vetted for a public office, you find a whole entourage of chiefs and opinion leaders of the community as well as extended family members, accompanying him, must be discouraged with immediate effect. This would go a long way to prevent the perpetuation of this subculture of corruption brought about as a result of greediness and selfishness in our society. COVID-19 has shown us that we can change and adapt to new ways of doing things. We now go to church wearing face masks as well as wearing masks in town. The nation has come to accept it as the only way to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 and everybody is abiding by the safety protocols although it is a bit uncomfortable. When we put in place certain regulations aimed at eradicating corruption, and we decide to make them work, they would, and the nation would be the better for it.
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
