Features
New SP: Investigate ex-President Mahama !!!
Ghana’s brand new Special Prosecutor (SP), Mr Kissi Agyebeng, describes corruption as” a pandemic” and some Ghanaians readily agree with him.
In tackling ‘corruption pandemic’ in Ghana, however, the expectation of many Ghanaians is that, the new SP begins from the very top.
For me, the new SP must not ‘beat about the bush’ at all. He must quickly investigate ex-President Dramani Mahama over the “seeming darkness” surrounding the nameless Government Official 1, in the global scandalous Airbus saga.
It must be noted that the former SP, Mr Martin Amidu, threw an “appetising bait” at ex-President Mahama, over the Airbus saga but he apparently ‘refused’ to ‘ lick’ the ‘bait’ and allowed the hook, the line and the sinker to ‘float’ in despair.
In a statement issued on November 9, 2020, Mr Amidu challenged ex-President Mahama to “man-up, wise-up and be bold and brave enough” to voluntarily visit the Office of the Special Prosecutor with two lawyers of his choice to be cautioned and interrogated to demonstrate his valour and wisdom as not being the elected Government Official 1.
And also, as not being the first guarantor to Mr. Samuel Adam Mahama’s forged passport application.
Mr Amidu had earlier confirmed in a statement to President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, that the elected Government Official 1, was no other person than former President Mahama himself.
The words; stupid, stupidity, coward and cowardice were ringing bells in the statement used by Mr Mahama to address the SP, for confirming him as the elected Government Official 1 in the Airbus scandal.
The infamous Airbus files revealed that between 2009 and 2015, an Airbus subsidiary specialising in the defence sectors, hired the brother of a high-ranking Ghanaian elected official, as well as a friend of the said brother and a third person to serve as commercial partners in the sale of three military transport aircraft to Ghana.
Reports indicated that Airbus knew that the middlemen had no previous experience in international trade or the arms industry, but knew of the family ties between one of the middlemen and the member of the government and was keen to take advantage of them.
According to American and British records, Airbus dangled commissions or ‘bribes’ of nearly five (5) million Euros in front of the middlemen.
Philip Middlemiss, Leanne Davis and ex-President Mahama’s brother, Samuel Adam Mahama are suspected to have acted as intermediaries between Airbus and former President Mahama himself.
Critics of former President Mahama are still accusing him of having links to a corrupt network in the case of kickbacks in the contract for the sale of Airbus military equipment to the Republic of Ghana.
By the end of March 2020, Mr Amidu found the corruption suspicions against ex-President Mahama credible enough to open an investigation into the case. He, therefore, announced that he would summon four ‘suspects’.
Mr Amidu wanted to hear from Philip Middlemiss and his collaborators; Sarah Furneaux as well as Leanne Davis and Samuel Adam Mahama. All the four have British nationality.
Curiously, former President Mahama, however, made the fight against corruption, the “central pillar” of his political programme to return to power in the 2020 electioneering.
When the Airbus scandal broke in 2014, ex-President Mahama reportedly said: “Corruption amounts to mass murder, because it deprives government the resources to address basic needs of the people.”
The fact of the matter, however, is that European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, is alleged to have bribed Ghanaian government officials during the purchase of three aircraft for the Ghana Armed Forces.
Even though some records attempt to hide the names of the suspected bribe-takers , the elements they contain clearly identify some of the players.
For instance, according to court records, the middlemen established a company in Ghana on the 7th December 2009 and that a company with the same name, was established in the United Kingdom in February, the following year.
In September 2011, an external audit commissioned by Airbus revealed that one of the middlemen was clearly very close to a very key member of the Government of Ghana.
Analysts say, the fragmented disclosures are enough for Ghana’s justice system to decide to open investigation into the scandal.
So, Mr new SP, over to you. Your predecessor initiated the move, so dust the files and quickly open investigation into the scandal.
After all, ex-President Mahama had already assured that he would appear before the OSP to assist in the investigation, if the SP has evidence to suggest that he (Mahama) is complicit in the shameful scandal.
Mr new SP, really, this is a test case for you.
Contact email/WhatsApp of author :
asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179
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
