Features
Ghana’s Ambassador to Norway visits Finland and interacts with Ghanaian migrants
Ghana’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway, H. E. Mrs. Jennifer Lartey, paid an official visit to Finland from September 16-18, 2021.
During the visit the Ambassador met officials of the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time and to discuss key issues about cooperation between Ghana and Finland.
The visit was a way “to come and show my face and an opportunity to meet the officials of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Ministry to consolidate our relations between trade and investment,” Ambassador Lartey said. She again held discussions with some representatives of Finnish companies for possibilities of working visits and ways to open official doors to companies concerning trade and investment interests promotion efforts.
This was the first time the Ghana Embassy in Oslo was visiting Finland. Ghana officially opened its Embassy in Oslo, Norway, in November 2018. The newly-opened Ghana Embassy in Oslo is accredited to Finland and Iceland, which were previously under the Ghana Embassy in Denmark.
Ambassador Lartey was appointed as Ghana’s first Resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway in February 2019 by the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The COVID-19 situation and lockdowns meant that the Ambassador could not visit Finland earlier. She was happy for this opportunity to be in Finland.
The four-day visit also offered her the opportunity to meet Ghanaian migrants in Helsinki to interact with them, and those who had travelled from other places in Finland.
The encounter was arranged last Saturday in the manner of a town-hall meeting with some representatives of the Ghanaian community including a discussion session. The meeting was on Zoom to enable others participate from their homes.
Ambassador Lartey praised the Ghanaian migrant community for the apparent unity and harmony among them and urged them to continue to keep a peaceful nature. Members of the community were happy to interact directly with the Ambassador and to ask her questions such as the passport renewals, how to find the right information from the Embassy or its website, etc.
She assured the community that the Embassy was there at their service and they would organise more Mobile Consular Services when needed to help many people secure the new biometric passports in place of the machine-readable passports which would be phased out.
Also with the Ambassador on the trip to Finland were Mr. Charles Kwakye-Marfo (Minister-Counsellor & Head of Chancery), Mr. Arthur Nii Odartey Okoe Mills (Counsellor, Political & Economic), Nana Antwi Baffuor (First Secretary Consular), and Mrs. Abigail Adusei (Second Secretary, Administration).
The group was composed of a Mobile Consular Team which conducted the first-ever mobile consular services by the Embassy this year in Helsinki over six days starting from Tuesday, 14 September until Sunday, 19 September 2021.
The team was under a huge pressure to serve the over 300 applications for the biometric passports. The huge number of applications can largely be attributed to the COVID-19 situation with its attendant problems such as the lockdowns which prevented people whose passports had expired as well as babies who had been born around this period from travelling or initiating the process to secure new passports.
The applications were almost six times the number of submissions made when the Ghana Embassy in Denmark conducted a similar mobile consular service in Finland in late 2018.
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.
The writer is a lecturer at the
University of Helsinki, Finland
I experienced something on Monday, June 15, that really frustrated me. I had to go to the ministries but I could not get up early that day so I decided to pick a taxi and get to the Tuba Junction.
When I got there I realised that Traffic had built up from the Toll Booth towards Accra. After a while I got a Taxi and it was when we got to a certain spot on the road, that I realised why there was a traffic jam.
There is a short stretch of the road where each time it rains heavily, loose material run down the hill onto the road, blocking one side of the road. Vehicles from Kasoa to Accra are then forced to move into one of the lanes of those going towards Kasoa from Accra.
The two lane road from Accra to Kasoa becomes a single carriage way. That was the reason for the traffic jam from the toll booth onwards.
This has been a perineal problem and yet, no permanent solution has been found till date. The area falls under Ga South and even though, a new MCE has taken over, the technocrats are still there and so the problem is not new to them.
There is therefore no excuse for the inability of the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly to resolving the problem on that stretch of the road. Apart from the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly, another institution that must be held accountable is the Ghana Highways Authority.
The Highways Authority cannot say they are unaware of this issue. The fact that the problem falls within the area of responsibility of the Ga South Assembly, does not relieve the Ghana Highways Authority, of their responsibility of ensuring that our highways are maintained in a motorable state at all times.
A collaboration between the Ghana Highways Authority and The Ga South Municipal Assembly is required for a permanent resolution of the problem.
There was another traffic jam at a place called Atala about 250 metres to the traffic light at Old Barrier as a result of an issue similar to the one close to the toll booth, that I talked about earlier.
When we got to Weija junction, we encountered another traffic jam. The cause of this jam was a bad condition of road about 80 metres from the traffic light at Ga South Hospital heading towards Accra.
Due to the bad nature at that section of the road, vehicles are compelled to slow down resulting in a traffic jam stretching all the way to Weija Junction.
I started wondering if that short stretch of road cannot be sorted on one Sunday when traffic is usually light. When we got to the traffic light at Odorkor, there was another issue.
When the traffic light shows green, there is a slow down because there is a big pothole or should I say manhole in the outer lane, right at the traffic light. Vehicles in the outer lane are compelled to swerve into the second lane thereby causing a traffic to slow down and resulting in a traffic jam.
It is very important to take into account the effect of traffic jam on the national economy. If we are able to assess the value of the loss to the economy of the nation, I believe the issue of traffic jam will be prioritised.
Imagine persons working at various Government Organisations like Registrar General’s Department, Ghana Ports and Habours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, CEPS etc. and lives at Kasoa and whose job is to collect revenue for the state and is held up in traffic.
Just imagine the effect their lateness to work will have on the economy if you consider the delays in say clearing of goods at the port and as a result traders cannot sell their goods for government to generate the required taxes.
Let us deal with the traffic jams on our streets to promote economic growth. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Mortality is an inherent aspect of life, a universal experience that has sparked philosophical, theological, and scientific inquiry throughout human history.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of mortality, acknowledging the complexity of the topic and the diverse perspectives surrounding it.
The biological imperative
From a biological standpoint, death is a natural part of the life cycle. It serves as a mechanism for the evolution of species, allowing for the passing on of genetic material and the adaptation to environmental changes.
Evolutionary perspective: Death allows for the recycling of resources, promoting the survival and adaptation of species.
Life span and senescence: Cellular aging and the limitations of biological systems contribute to mortality.
Philosophical and existential perspectives
Existentialism: Emphasises individual freedom and responsibility in the face of mortality.
Meaning and purpose: The finite nature of life can prompt individuals to seek meaning and purpose.
The human condition: Mortality is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, shaping our perceptions and values.
Cultural and spiritual views
Afterlife and spirituality: Many cultures and religions believe in an afterlife or spiritual continuation.
Rituals and mourning: Cultural practices surrounding death reflect the significance of mortality in human experience.
Legacy and remembrance: The impact of one’s life can transcend mortality.
Ethical considerations
End-of-life care: Ethical debates surround issues like euthanasia, assisted dying, and palliative care.
Quality of life: Balancing the value of life with the quality of life is a complex ethical issue.
Resource allocation: Societal decisions about healthcare and resource distribution involve considerations of mortality.
Psychological impact
Grief and loss: The experience of mortality can evoke profound emotional responses.
Fear and anxiety: The awareness of mortality can lead to existential anxiety.
Appreciation and gratitude: Recognising mortality can foster appreciation for life.
Conclusion
Mortality is a multifaceted aspect of human existence, influencing how we live, relate, and find meaning. Understanding and acknowledging mortality can prompt deeper reflections on life and our place in the world.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
