Features
Sitting on Construction sector time bomb
When was the last time any building inspector approach you at your building project site and said “Please can I see your building permit? What about a visit by officials from the District or Metropolitan Assembly, when you are about to roof it?
No wonder, a little wind or storm and a lot of buildings have their roofs blown off, because they were not properly installed.
This is a country which complains about lack of resources and the need to increase tax revenue and yet officials are not going out to do their job to rake in the needed revenue for the development of the various districts. That is just by the way.
Now focusing on the topic at hand, a careful observation of buildings being put up, especially the story buildings, will reveal a shocking truth. Most of them, like the one that collapsed at Newtown in Accra, over the week-end, are disasters waiting to happen.
I am not a Civil or Structural Engineer but the little structural engineering that l acquired as part of my Mining Engineering course, enables me to observe a building and assess its stability.
Stress must be evenly distributed along a beam for instance, to prevent stress concentration at a point, which can then result in a collapse of a structure.
I saw a picture of the building that collapsed over the week-end and I was not surprised that sad event happened. There is this recent style of raising all the pillars and beams to the lintel levels, before erecting the walls of the structures.
What then happens is that, the beams do not rest directly on the cement blocks forming the walls so that there will be even distribution of stresses. Gaps are crested between the beams and the walls and allows the beams to sag.
This is the cause of the collapse of the buildings occurring all over the country. If building inspectors in the various in the various assemblies did their jobs, a lot of these unacceptable construction practices would have been noticed and stopped and unnecessary deaths and injuries, would have been prevented.
A church building along the road that leads to where I live collapsed and it has been quickly reconstructed. I have my doubts whether investigations were conducted and the causes identified.
The day and time it collapsed, was not a tine for church activities and therefore lives were spared. If the construction has been done without taking into account, factors that caused the first collapse, it is highly likely that the incident will repeat itself.
There should be improvement in the protocols that must be observed when disasters of this nature happens. People without the requisite rescue knowledge rushing to rescue victims must be prevented through appropriate legislation.
Injured victims can easily die if not properly handled from my little first aid knowledge. The security agents must first cordon off the area and only authorised personnel should go in to execute rescue.
Preservation of evidence for proper investigation must be ensured in all such instances of building collapse so that, investigations conducted can identify the real causes of the incident.
This is the only way to ascertain, the real causes that led to the collapse to guide future actions. The issue of punishment as a deterrent must be put into action because some people must answer for this negligence. If we do not do this, l can assure you a few weeks or months from now, we would experience another disaster.
It is therefore very necessary to set an example in this instance to let it serve as a lesson to those whose responsibility it is to ensure this never again gets repeated.
By Laud Kiss-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
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