Features
GOOD LUCK, “AKUFO-ADDO GRADUATES!”
Ghanaian students have not been very lucky in recent years, have they?
I mean – they have been deprived of tuition in the past, because their leadership had decided students should go and cart cocoa from cocoa farms. At other times, massive political unrest on campuses had caused disruption of work on campuses.
So a smile played on my lips when President Akufo-Addo, in his 12th
address to the nation on Covid-19, emphasised referred twice to what he called the “Akufo-Addo graduates.”
The first mention occurred in this passage:
QUOTE:“ [The] SHS 3 students, also referred to by some as the ‘Akufo-Addo graduates’, are the first group of beneficiaries of Government’s Free Senior High School policy,to sit the WASSCE exams. 1.2 million children, the highest such enrolment in our nation’s history, [are currently in senior high schools] because of this policy”. UNQUOTE.
The second reference to them appeared in this passage:
QUOTE: “I take this opportunity to assure all parents and guardians that [my] Government is determined to protect the lives of the eight hundred thousand (800,000) students, teachers and non-teaching staff, who will be returning to school from tomorrow. I will be the last person to put the lives of the ‘Akufo-Addo graduates’ at risk.” UNQUOTE
It is gratifying to find that the President identifies himself so closely with the welfare of our students, for as he acknowledged, the future development of the country will rest on their shoulders.
Just how important it is for the country to cherish its students is illustrated by the dialogue which officials of OccupyGhana (knowledgeable persons trained by educational institutions) have been carrying out with the Ghana health authorities on their management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
OccupyGhana held a “zoom meeting”with the “entire leadership” of the Government’s Covid-19 team in the evening of 19 June 2020.
And it says:“It was a very engaging meeting.”
The group had earlier expressed “scepticism about some of the death figures put out with regard to Covid-19 cases in the country.” There was cause for it to suspect that the death numbers issued by the GHS were “being massaged.” So OccupyGhana complained about this in a statement on June 15, 2020.
The GHS had issued a statement denying that there was any such “massaging” of death figures. A zoom meeting was subsequently convened by both parties, where the Service sought to clarify its position.
OccupyGhana says it “vehemently disagreed” with, and still “questions” the science behind the GHS’ claim [that] GHS was “verifying the ‘epidemiological condition’ of [those who had died] “from COVID-19.”
In the opinion of OccupyGhana,“this terminology caused “confusion”, since “the verification team in Accra was not doing any retesting or post mortems”. Simply put, there was “nothing to verify, outside a simple phone call to the people on the ground!”
OccupyGhana stated that it still considers “the excuse of a delay in releasing test results, due to the so-called “verification”, unacceptable and untenable and provides “grounds to OccupyGhana’s expressed suspicion. These delays erode public confidence in the GHS’ data.”
In fact, according to OccupyGhana, it was “entirely possible” that, had “the full information” been made available, “the President’s decision” [to ease the knock-down] and “public reaction” [to it] “would have been different.”
Other questions raised by OccupyGhana at the meeting included: Is it Government policy to head for ‘herd immunity’? Why are ambulances not responding to the several callers? Why is there so much delay in releasing test results? Why has contact tracing reduced? Why is there a shortage of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)? [Is it not a fact] that the holding and treatment centres in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions (the two epicentres) are full?
On ‘herd immunity’, OccupyGhana was “assured that this was not the Government’s intention.”
With regard to Ambulance Response, the
GHS said “they did not consider this to be within their remit”. OccupyGhana expressed concern that the delays “could be due to not enough ambulances having been assigned for COVID-19 related use.” Again, OccupyGhana was assured at the meeting that its “concerns would be addressed.” OccupyGhana commented: “We will continue to monitor the situation”.
On the issue of delays in releasing test results, the GHS had earlier claimed that it took 48 hours for most results to be released. But OccupyGhana did not accept the accuracy of that statement. “As was shown at the meeting, currently, some results take as much as seven days. Sometimes it takes much longer to receive results.”
OccupyGhana explained: “We, therefore, raised further questions on whether the testing centres are optimised to perform? Are all the testing centres running, and if not, why? Do the testing centres have data entry issues?
“Do the sample collection facilities adequately fill the case forms that accompany all the samples? Is there a high number of mislabelling?
“Ultimately, the meeting conceded that there are indeed delays and assured us that a lot was being done to address that. For instance, a barcode labelling system, with electronic transmission of test results through the ‘SORMAS app’ has been introduced. We will continue to watch this space since reducing the delay in getting test results will reduce anxiety among those who have tested, and then dovetail into the discharge strategy, so that patients are discharged in good time to make room for others.”
On Reduced Contact Tracing, Occupy Ghana was informed that “Ghana is no longer doing the enhanced contact tracing that characterised the lock-down, and that the mass contact tracing team has been disbanded.”
OccupyGhana declared: “We disagree, strongly. At the end of the lock down on 19 April 2020, Ghana had 1,042 positive cases. Currently, we have a total of 13,717 positive cases of which 3,558 are active.
“We [therefore] find this new policy bizarre and counter-intuitive. We know enhanced tracing has financial implications, but it beggars belief that [it] would be discontinued, when the daily number of new positive cases is increasing. Early detection and treatment are critical to preventing severe and critical cases. We forcefully expressed these concerns and have been assured that they will be addressed. We will continue to advocate for and demand a return to enhanced tracing.”
With regard to Data Sanctity, OccupyGhana maintained that “we also pointed out, and … the Government COVID-19 team admitted, [that] several of the deaths then not included in the national total, had occurred some two to three weeks before the President recently further eased restrictions.
“To us, that meant that as at the time the President was taking that decision and announcing it, both he and Ghanaians had been denied the full complement of the data and the true picture. It is entirely possible that had the full information been made available, the President’s decision and public reaction would have been different.”
Delays eroded public confidence in the GHS’ data, OccupyGhana said. “e were assured that the problem had been resolved and that there would be more real-time updates.”
Long may such reasoned, objective discussions take place. We thank our stars that when such a terrible pandemic descended upon us, we had groups with the intellectual depth, both within and outside the public service, to agree to let the science do the talking.
Source: Ghanaian Times
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
