Features
Korea’s COVID-19 strategy is worth emulating
On Saturday, October 4, 2020, Ghana joined the Korean Embassy and the Korean community in Ghana to celebrate Korea’s National Foundation Day.
The day, is an occasion for Koreans to celebrate their successes in political, social and economic spheres, which dates back to 2333BC.
In spite of the country’s numerous achievements which culminated in the rapid economic development over the years, Korea’s journey towards the path of progress was rough and tough.
For several decades, Korea, like many other countries, fought wars and hunger and eventually overcame adversities in the form of natural disasters, plagues and pandemics.
The most known adversity that drew back the clock of progress was the Korean war which resulted in the deaths of more than three million people along with its concomitant famine and poverty.
Korea’s story encapsulates the fight for economic growth in the face of challenges for a low-income country that later turned into an economic powerhouse.
The Asian country’s meteoric rise to greatness did not happen overnight; theirs was a sterling demonstration of hard work and the desire to succeed.
In all this, leadership matters. And Korea’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic which continues to wreak havoc across the globe, is yet another good example of impressive leadership.
Today, Korea is used as a good example in the fight against COVID-19 by countries known to have efficient health systems.
They include the United States of America, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany and many others.
South Korea learned many lessons the hard way- by not having sufficient resources to cope with previous epidemics, notably the 2015 MERS outbreak. At the time, the Korean Centre for Disease Control (KDC), was the only institution authorised to do epidemiological testing.
Thankfully, today, with advancement in science, technology and research, Korea has become the envy of the world in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease.
When countries like the United States were recording case numbers in the millions with more than 212,000 COVID-19 related deaths, Korea is managing few numbers with less than 1,000 deaths.
Korea is fighting the virus with time tested scientific methods of aggressive testing, tracing and treatment.
One of such methods which has gained prominence is the drive-through testing.
If you roll up to a drive-through COVID-19 testing centre in South Korea, you might notice that safety procedures extend all the way to your car’s air conditioning. You will be advised to hit the recirculation button so that if you are sick, you keep the pathogens to yourself, in your car, and avoid infecting medical personnel doing the testing.
The test takes 10 minutes at most. Results are texted to you, usually the next day. And it’s free-paid for by the government.
Drive-through centres have helped South Korea to do some of the fastest, most-extensive testing of any country. And while nobody is claiming that South Korea has defeated the outbreak, experts credit the emphasis on testing with reducing case numbers and fatalities.
Although the country is not out of the woods, it is safe to say that it has cracked the back of the virus.
Korea has done remarkably well in stemming the tide and preventing the spread of the disease.
As the world races against time for a vaccine and ultimately a potential cure for the virus, Korea’s common sense approach to masking up in crowded places, observing social distancing protocol, as well as regular hand washing with soap also helped them in tackling the pandemic.
We are now learning that nose masks are more effective than a vaccine. Korea knew this long before now and took appropriate measures to enforce the law on wearing of masks.
This is the reason one is likely to see eight out of 10 Koreans wearing a mask in the sub-way, supermarkets and places of scenic interest.
Lessons for Ghana
Ghana and many other African countries have been largely beneficiaries of Korea’s benevolence, not forgetting millions of dollars in donations of personal protective equipment, transfer and deployment of technology and other interventions.
In his address on the National Foundation Day, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Kim Sungsoo praised Ghana’s efforts in handling coronavirus.
He was right to a large extent. Needless to say, Ghana could not have been successful without the support of the Korean government.
The Korean Government, acting through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and KOFIH had in the past few months donated medical supplies running into millions of dollars to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development to help contain the virus.
The support came in handy as many health facilities do not have enough personal protective equipment to cater for COVID-19 patients.
That is not all, Ghana is still a recipient of Korean scholarships.
By far, the Korean Government had in the past decade, implemented several projects in all regions of Ghana, in different sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
“Yes, the Koreans are our good friends, but the Korean Government is not Father Christmas, and it is time Ghana took its relationship with Korea a notch higher.”
When President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo declared Ghana Beyond Aid, he meant that Ghana was better placed to engage its partners on favourable trade deals and agreements.
The Ghana Beyond Aid agenda can only succeed if Ghana readjusted and recalibrated its relationship with western countries from aid to strong partnership.
No doubt, Ghana cannot be at par with Korea any time soon, but with the right mindset and good leadership, Ghana can become the Korea of Africa.
Korea deserves a pat on the back for being a leading light in the fight against the pandemic.
By Yasin Billy
The writer is a freelance journalist and the Executive Director of A Better Community for All
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP 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.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP 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.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP 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!
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
