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Let’s cherish and value our own instead of these wild vilifications
The word vilification means the act of saying or writing unpleasant things about someone or something in order to cause other people to have a bad opinion of them. An act of vilification is capable of inciting hatred, ill-will and disaffection towards someone or attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse. Such behaviour is so offensive and cannot be tolerated whatsoever in a society which seeks the welfare of its people.
OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR
There are situations where people considered to be your own brother, friend , family member or companion will smile at you, eat and drink with you, interact with you more often and frequently, work in a friendly and cordial at mosphere with you and above all, do everything with you in common, but inwardly, that person will be pretentious and doing all these things for fun as he or she hates you and have no regards for you whatsoever. That is nature and we must be on guard to fish and flush out for such pretenders.
I have decided to go on this tangent because of what is happening in the Ghana Police Service (GPS) in recent times in which the Inspector General of Police, the overall boss of the Ghana Police Service is being willfully maligned, attacked, accused and vilified by his own senior police officers for no apparent reasons.
COMMITTEE TO PROBE THE LEAKED TAPE
On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, a leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove the IGP, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare from office circulated on social and the traditional media. Consequently, the Minority Caucus in Parliament, called for a probe into the leaked tape. The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin in his wisdom, constituted a seven-member bi-partisan Committee to authenticate the audio and probe into the se cret recording of an alleged plot to remove the IGP from office ahead of the 2024 general election. The committee which started its work on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, was mandated to report back to the House on September 10, 2023, but that had not been successful due to on-going investigation.
AGGRIEVED POLICE OFFICERS IN COURT
It appears that there is a pend ing court case involving some 82 aggrieved police officers who have sued the Attorney General, the GPS and the IGP for acting unfairly and capriciously concerning the failure of the service to promote them. According to them they were due for promotions after the completion of their studies, through the study leave with pay policy, of the service, but they were yet to be promoted several months after the completion of their studies. Since the matter is still pending, I do not want to go into the merits and de merits of the case to avoid conflict with the law.
What is more worrying and disturbing is the personal attacks on the competence and integrity of the IGP by the three senior officers – COP George Alex Mensah, Superintendents George Asare and Gyebi, who had earlier testified before the committee with wild allegations against their boss which necessitated the invitation of the IGP by the committee chaired by Samuel Atta-Akyea (NPP), Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South with James Agalga (NDC), MP for Builsa North as his vice. So far so good.
IGP BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
When the IGP appeared before the committee on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, it was emotionally stricken but astute policeman that he is, he was able to control his emotions as he tried to defend himself against the wild allegations that have been levelled against him by his own officers in the service. His initial comments were so sorrowful and indeed heart- troubling. After initial argument between his legal team and the committee that the three senior police officers who have levelled allegations against their client should not sit through the IGP’s testimony, the chairman overruled that objection with the view that their presence was not in any way going to be injurious to the IGP and that they would not be allowed to interject in the proceedings at any point in time. When cool atmosphere was established, the IGP, flanked by his lawyers and with the support of senior management of the Ghana Police Service, set the ball rolling with his initial comments after the chairman had asked him whether he had listened to the tape in question.
INITIAL COMMENTS BY IGP
Hear the IGP; “Honourable Chair, thank you and thank you to the members of the committee. I will like to say that Hon. Chair, if you will permit me, I will like to make a few opening remarks. Honourable Chair, there have been a lot of is sues about my person and I will like toi take the opportunity to speak to a few of them, for about the next three to five minutes”. Honestly the two to five minutes remarks travelled about 20 minutes without interruption. He spent most of his time talking about his family matters and his upbringing, academic achievement, Christian background, where he was raised during infancy, how friendly he has been to friends and colleagues and indeed, giving explanations, clarifications, debunking the allegations that had been made about his person and the police service under his leadership. He ended up by saying, “honourable Chair, I am here, being asked to answer to wild, unsubstantiated allegations by my brothers, in order to cover up their shame. I am ready, thank you.”.
PAINFUL AND HEART-BREAKING
It was so painful and heart-breaking to me and many others who were glued to their television sets to watch and listen the chief executive of our national security apparatus – Ghana Police Service pouring out issues he claimed he knew nothing about. Right now, it is left to the committee to weigh the IGP’s testimonies against that of his accusers- the three senior po lice officers and establish the truth in the allegations
PROTECTING POLICE INTEGRITY
This particular encounter, has brought to the fore the need for people to appreciate hard work and tenacity of purpose, respect for authority in spite of political differences and no matter where one finds himself or herself because the future is unknown. We should not allow politics to divide our ranks and create disaffection and hatred for ourselves. It is important to bid our time and wait for the opportu nity to show up.
Let us remember that the Ghana Police Service is a noble institution established by law to protect and safeguard the lives of the people and ensure that they move about freely. It is an institution that de mands confidence and respect from the people and therefore if officers from that institution do not have confidence in its leadership, then we are doomed as a country. The service must therefore be freed of politics to enable the institution to operate effectively.
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By Charles Neequaye
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
