Features
Peace perfect peace
In this world, the most important thing is a peaceful environment in whatever endeavour you are engaged in.
Market women sell various items to the general public which plays a very important role in our socio-economic development. A visit to the ministries, will show civil servants going about their normal duties.
I believe people will go to church to worship God this Sunday and I believe others shall go to the Mosque on Friday to pray to Allah.
In the mornings, we will find people engaged in jogging as a way of exercising their bodies. All these activities cannot happen in a chaotic environment and therefore peace is essential in our everyday lives.
Peace, perfect peace, is therefore a requirement for the people in this country to go on with their lives.
I attended church service last Sunday, which was a day after elections. This would not have been possible in a chaotic environment.
I could go to church because there was peace in the immediate environs of the church and in Accra as a whole. I was given a role to play in church so Sunday was one of the memorable days in my life and I could not have experienced such a moment had peace not reigned after the elections last Saturday.
We need to congratulate ourselves as Ghanaians for going through yet another election where power has been or is being transferred from an incumbent party to the opposition party.
This is what is expected of us as Ghanaians, given our accommodating nature. The processes of our electoral system must be improved so that issues that gave ruse to pockets of disagreement at some polling stations and some collation centres will stop.
We should be thankful to God for a peaceful country after the elections. We must commend ourselves again for the generally peaceful post elections atmosphere and this must be sustained in subsequent elections so our credentials as democratic icon in Africa shall remain untainted.
The leadership of the various political parties must embark on serious educational drive to endure that their supporters recognise the need to maintain peace after elections. There has been reports of looting and disturbances in various places including government institutions. These must be frowned upon by all well-meaning Ghanaians.
We should not indulge in criminal acts and such incidents must be dealt with by the appropriate security agencies so the peace we all have enjoyed over the years shall be sustained.
There is a song in the Methodist Hymn Book which says Peace Perfect Peace In this Dark World of Sin … which is a reminder that we need peace because we are in a world of continuous turmoil.
We need to make a conscious effort to create a peaceful environment in our communities and by extension throughout the country. We should all realise that until Jesus comes, elections will take place every four years and is not something that should not allowed to divide us as a people and cause us to lose the peace we enjoy.
Let us all make up our minds that we shall never allow elections to divide us and create tension in our communities but will always strive for Peace, Perfect Peace.
BY LAUD KISSI-MENSAH
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
