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
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
