Features
Ghana: Why this embarrassment?
Many Ghanaians now believe that Ghana’s ‘golden-name’ has been regrettably recorded among ‘the jungle-of-states’ where ‘human-animals’ do what they like.
The reason? They have expressed amazement and fury upon the incessant media reports clearly indicating that the Bulgarian Embassy in Accra has been illegally demolished by ‘a very powerful ‘ private developer in broad-day-light.
Embassy in ruins and the imposing building
And disturbingly, some Ghanaians contend that even with all the coercive powers of the state, the person who demolished the Embassy in Accra has neither been arrested nor prosecuted since the illegal act was committed in 2017.
Readers, the Bulgarian Embassy insists that it has valid documents confirming its entiltlement to the property in contention.
A retired Ghanaian Diplomat says:”What makes the situation very sad and beyond ‘reasonable comprehension’ is the apparent solace the Bulgarian Embassy is seeking from the Minority Caucus in Parliament; having seemingly lost confidence in the Republic of Ghana in abiding by the Vienna Convention.”
The Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations affirms the inviolability of the premises of missions.
The Convention bars any right of entry, even by law enforcement officers of the receiving state, and imposes on the receiving state, a special duty to protect mission premises against intrusion.
Readers, eye-witnesses confirm that in place of the demolished embassy building is an emerging huge commercial edifice.
Media reports allege that just this week, Government’s STOP WORK order splashed on the walls of the emerging and imposing building were quickly ripped off by the private developer as he brazenly continued working on the new building.
Ghana’s Foreign Ministry , however, says “Government has distanced itself from the demolition of the Bulgarian embassy.”
According to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration , Mr Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, “government has no hand in whatever the developer is doing.”
Explaining, Mr Ampratwum-Sarpong said, the Bulgarian embassy leased the property from its rightful owner on 1st February 1979 and extended it in 1983 for 50 years, thus, the lease expires in 2033.
According to the Foreign Ministry, upon the demise of the landlord , “the administrator of the estate attempted to forcefully repossess the property, notwithstanding the latter’s full payment for the lease to the late landlord.”
The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister further explained that, “the administrator of the estate of the late landlord went to the High Court with a writ for declaration of title to the property, housing the Bulgarian embassy.
“And eventually when the case travelled to the Supreme Court, it affirmed the right of the Bulgarian embassy to the leased property.
“And notwithstanding the judgement of the Supreme Court, the successor of the late landlord sold the leased property to a private developer, who later encroached on the property.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Lands has appointed a retired High Court Judge, Justice Kwasi Anto Ofori-Atta as sole inquirer into the circumstances leading to the encroachment and demolition of the property on the land being used by the Bulgarian embassy.
According to Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands, the sole inquirer has seven days to present his findings on the Bulgarian embassy’s issues and one month to present his report on land matters affecting other diplomatic missions in the country.
However, in a diplomatic language, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Ghana, Yanko Yordanov says;”talks are ongoing between leaders of Ghana and Bulgaria to facilitate the restoration of the demolished Bulgarian embassy building.
“Engagements include, to reinstate the legal rights of Bulgaria as the owner of the land on which the embassy was sited, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.”
A statement issued by the Bulgarian Ambassador last Thursday emphasised that, “until the lease agreement expires in 2033, Bulgaria reserves the right to own the property as ruled by the Supreme Court.”
He said since the illegal demolition of the property in 2017 and the illegal development of the property in August 2021, “the Bulgarian-side has taken a number of diplomatic actions to protect its rights as the owner of the lease over the property.”
Readers, from the foregoing, the question on the lips of many wondering Ghanaians is: Who is this private developer who seems to be more powerful than the President and the STATE of Ghana?
And the other question is: Does Ghana deserve such embarrassment in our current democratic experiment?
Contact email/ WhatsApp of the author:
asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
By G. Frank Asmah
On Sunday, October 11, 2026, it was the turn of Ghanaian Catholics in Finland to lead the singing in the church service of the African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland (ACCF).
It was indeed a spirit-filled feeling for worshippers present. And for the Ghanaian migrants, the occasion also brought back to them memories of church services in their home country, Ghana.
The ACCF has a roster for each country/community to sing from time to time. Next Sunday will be the turn of the Nigerian community. Other communities that usually sing are the Kenyan/Tanzanian community, the Cameroonian, the Ugandan, group, etc.
A powerful religious experience
The mass services of the Chaplaincy usually give a powerful religious experience and a display of cultural diversity, especially in occasions such as when the Bishop of Helsinki, Bishop Raimo Goyarrola, celebrated mass with the Chaplaincy on Pentecost Day, May 24, 2026.
There was a similar time of spiritual joy last month (September 27, 2026) when Emeritus Bishop Teemu Sippo, former Bishop of Helsinki, visited the Chaplaincy. Bishop Teemu was the main celebrant, assisted by the Chaplain, Reverend Father Thomas Otieno.
Last Sunday, Reverend Father Bernard Sor, a Ghanaian Catholic priest based in Austria, was the main celebrant in the mass service where he performed a rite of baptism. Fr Bernard had celebrated mass a few months ago when he visited his sister and her husband in Helsinki. 
All these well-attended religious occasions indeed leave lasting memories. The homilies (peaching) by the priests usually emphasize religious tenets such as the importance of loving and serving God in truth, existing in peace with our fellow humans to promote unity in diversity, etc.
Unity in diversity and a colourful display of cultures
The African Chaplaincy church services usually produce impressive displays of diverse cultures from different parts of Africa and elsewhere. The events are often spiced by rich cultural displays of dances and colourful attires which are a delight to watch.
On special occasions, members of the Ghanaian Catholic community, in their gay and colourful kente attire and with adowa dance and music, usually lead the procession into the church. Other communities such as the Cameroonian, Nigerian, Kenyan and Tanzanian as well as Sudanese/South Sudanese groups also put up well-choreographed performances from their cultures.
The African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland
The African Chaplaincy was founded on June 4, 2017, which was a Pentecost Sunday, in a Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Monsignor Emeritus Sippo S.C.I., the then Bishop of Helsinki, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Parish Church in Helsinki.
The Chaplaincy was created by Bishop Teemu in collaboration with the Diocesan body when they detected a great flocking of African immigrants to Finland, the majority of whom were Catholics. This was to give the immigrants a possibility to integrate into the Finnish society by worshiping as Catholics and in their African cultural identity.
The responsibility of the Chaplaincy was given by Bishop Teemu to Father Dr Leonard Wobilla Shwei, who is thus the first Chaplain and ably led the Chaplaincy. He was succeeded a few years ago by Father Thomas Otieno, who continues to move the Chaplaincy forward. 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
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She did not find out he was cheating. She found out he was drowning.
It was two weeks after their beautiful wedding. The jollof was still in the fridge. A loan officer called her number-not his-and politely asked, “Madam, please tell your husband to pay his overdue loan. We have been calling him.”
That was how she discovered her new husband had entered their marriage with a hidden debt of over GH¢ 40,000. No cheating. No other woman. Just a financial secret.
And that is how many Ghanaian marriages begin to die. Not with a shout, but with a secret alert on a phone.
We prepare for the wedding. We do not prepare for the wallet.
What is money honesty?
Let me define it simply. Money honesty is not that you both earn the same. It is that you both know the same. It is the ability to sit down and say without fear:
“This is how much I earn.”
“This is how much I owe.”
“This is how I was raised to see money.”
“This is what scares me about money.”
Financial transparency is not about control. It is about clarity. You cannot build trust on top of secrets.
Many couples tell me, “Counsellor, we love each other, love will handle money.” I always answer, “Love is the car, but money honesty is the fuel. Love without honesty cannot move.”
How To Buy Your Marriage Insurance Today – My 5-Step Protocol
If you are engaged, newly married, or even 20 years in marriage, you can still fix this. At Counsellor Prince & Associates Consult—CPAC, this is what I give couples:
Step 1: The 90-Minute Money Naked Session.
No phones, no blame. Each partner writes down on paper: Monthly income, monthly debts, monthly family obligations, savings, and your biggest money fear. Then you exchange papers. Read it. Don’t react for 24 hours. Just absorb.
Step 2: Create OUR Money, YOUR Money, My Money.
You need three pots. OUR money for rent, food, school fees, utilities, properties, and the like— joint contribution. YOUR money and MY money—a small agreed allowance no one questions. This stops the feeling of being controlled.
Step 3: The No-Secret Debt Rule.
Agree from today: No new loan, no new hire purchase, no new family financial commitment above GHS 500 without telling each other first. Not permission, but information.
Step 4: Talk About Your Money Personality.
Are you a Spender or a Saver? Are you Risky or Safe? Most Ghanaian marriages are a Spender married to a Saver. Neither is wrong. But if you don’t understand your partner’s personality, you will call his saving “stinginess” and her spending “wastefulness.”
Step 5: Do a Monthly 30-Minute Money Date
Not an argument date. Light, with tea. “How did we do this month? What worried you? What should we plan for next month?” Couples who do this divorce far less.
My Final Word
Before you say “I Do” at the altar, have pre-marital counselling and also have the money talk on the sofa.
Ask your partner:
“If I lost my job today, how long can we survive?”
“What debt are you bringing into this marriage?”
“How much do you send to your family monthly and will that continue?”
If he or she gets angry that you asked, don’t get married yet. A person who is angry about accountability will be abusive about money.
Marriage insurance is not bought at Star Assurance or Enterprise. It is bought in honest conversations when no one is watching.
The wedding costs one day. The marriage costs a lifetime. Don’t enter a lifetime contract and covenant with hidden costs.
You can still insure your marriage today.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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