Features
My Lords: Reject Muntaka’s apology
On 10th January, 2021, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka openly and blatantly scandalised and bastardised the Supreme Court Justices of the 4th Republic of Ghana over an unproven allegation of attempted bribery by one of them.
And who is Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka? He is a seasoned Member of Parliament for Asawase constituency in the Ashanti Region, who has won that parliamentary seat a number of times. He is said to be a devout moslem, so he has “earned” the title, ‘Alhaji’.
As a Member of Parliament, Alhaji Muntaka has “acquired” the title “Honourable” also, so he is an honourable man. Significantly, Honourable Alhaji Muntaka is the Minority Chief Whip, thus, whipping his NDC minority members in Parliament to tow certain lines of actions in the august House.
How did he scandalise and bastardise the Justices of the Supreme Court? Alhaji Muntaka loudly claimed on Joy Television News, on 10th January, 2021, that a female NDC Member of Parliament had been invited by a Supreme Court Judge, with the express intent to bribe her to vote for Professor Mike Oquaye, during the contest for the Speakership position of Parliament.
Indeed, Honourable Muntaka insisted that he has evidence to prove that the un-named Supreme Court Judge really attempted to bribe a female NDC Member of Parliament and that at the appropriate time he would lead evidence to that effect.
Alhaji Muntaka assured on Joy Television News, that he would raise the bribery allegation against the Judge on the floor of Parliament and would as well, call for the establishment of a committee to investigate it.
Additionally, Mr Muntaka said some NPP Majority Members in Parliament also approached some NDC MPs and attempted bribing them to vote for Professor Oquaye.
Curiously, Muntaka did not name any Supreme Court Judge but claimed that he trusted his nameless NDC female MP colleague who broke the bribery allegation to him.
Readers, the Supreme Court Judges are not earthly saints, and so if one or two or all of them misconduct themselves, they must be investigated through the appropriate channels and where necessary, sanctioned.
But for a seasoned parliamentarian to carry unproven bribery allegation against a Supreme Court Judge onto a television station, it will be difficult to comprehend by rational beings.
Is it the case that Alhaji Muntaka has no knowledge of any appropriate political, legal or constitutional forum to channel his so-called bribery allegation against the Supreme Court Judge for redress?
What was his motive then? Just to bad-mouth the institution of Supreme Court and the entire accomplished Justices? No, I think his real motive is still hidden.
It is, however, instructive that the Judicial Service encouraged Mr. Muntaka to assist it to get to the bottom of his bribery allegation.
Instead of grasping such opportunity with both hands, Mr. Muntaka is rather dispelling it with half-hearted apology.
In a press statement announcing his apology, Mr. Muntaka said: “Admittedly, because I did not specifically name any Judge, this may have had the effect of scandalising the judiciary in its entirety. This unintended consequence is deeply regretted.”
Paragraph four of the apology said:” I, therefore, wish to respectfully retract same and apologise for the harm done to the image and reputation of my Lord Justices of the Supreme Court and the judiciary as a whole.”
Paragraph five of Muntaka’s apology, however, makes his whole intent suspicious. He said:” Based upon good counsel, I have also decided to let sleeping dogs lie and will consequently refrain from any further commentary on the matter …”
From my understanding of paragraph five of Muntaka’s apology, he has not retracted anything from his bribery allegation made against a Judge of the Supreme Court.
He still stands by the unproven allegation and with this kind of attitude, I will urge the Supreme Court Judges to reject Muntaka’s apology and spite it with a pinch of salt.
In my view, Alhaji Muntaka must seek ” proper” good counsel and do “proper” consultations. Following that, he must properly retract the bribery allegation he made against the Justices of the Supreme Court and apologise to them unconditionally.
Otherwise, I will urge Honourable Muntaka to wake his sleeping dogs up and whip them to bark and bite until we get to the bottom of this matter.
Already, a list of all the female NDC Members of Parliament has been compiled and some people are pointing accusing fingers at the “culprit” likely to have told Muntaka that a Supreme Court Judge attempted bribing her.
This matter must not be swept under the carpet. So, if Muntaka is not ready to do the needful, a full-scale enquiry must be instituted to arrive at the truth. After all, nobody compelled him to render his half-hearted apology.
As leading lights of society, we must learn to respect our institutions of state and assist them to right the wrongs through the appropriate channels, when need be, instead of scandalising and bastardising them from the rooftops.
G. Frank Asmah
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
