Features
The day Speaker turned the Chamber into a lecture hall
Friday, December 16, 2021, would go down in history of Ghana’s Parliament. It was the day when the honourable Speaker of Parliament, Rt-Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, for some obvious reasons, decided to turn the Chamber into a complete lecture hall to enlighten members of parliament made up of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucuses about the rules and regulations as well as the laws and the Standing Orders of Parliament.
SPEAKER’S APOLOGY TO GHANAIANS
Incensed by the controversies and brouhaha that transpired in parliament during his absence to seek medical attention in Dubai in the latter part of last year, Speaker Bagbin did not mince words when he apologised to Ghanaians and subsequently condemned members of parliament for the nasty incidents recorded in the House and also for flagrantly flouting and undermining the laws of parliament as well as the Standing Orders that regulate their operations in the Chamber.
LECTURING THE PARLIAMENTARIANS
Behaving like a professor and lecturer addressing his students, the Speaker took his time to dissect the laws of parliament as crafted in the 1992 Constitution, how they regulate and affect the operations and activities in the house, the roles of the substantive Speaker and his two Deputies in the absence of the Speaker as well as actions and setbacks that infringe procedures and processes in the House. It was so interesting and delightful to watch on our television screens as the entire members of parliament kept their silence with attentive ears to listen to the wise counsel by the Number One Gentleman in our August parliament.
The Speaker drew an inference on governance by using himself as an example of the President of Ghana who had sought permission to travel outside the country on official assignment. In his absence, the Vice President, the Number Two Gentleman of the land who stepped in as the caretaker president used his powers to reverse certain decisions that had been taken by the president. He asked whether that would not automatically undermine the authority of the president as stipulated by the law and create a constitutional crisis in the country, thereby affecting governance?
CONTROVERSIES OVER THE PASSAGE OF THE 2022 BUDGET
Apparently, Speaker Bagbin was making reference to the recent brouhaha in parliament over his earlier decision concerning the rejection of the 2022 Budget and the subsequent decision by the Second Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, Member of Parliament for Bekwai Constituency who sat in the Speaker’s chair during his absence to reverse the rejection decision by the Speaker with what could be described as controversial due processes and procedures and to allow the Majority to approve that same budget, even though the Minority had earlier raised certain objections in the document. That was the genesis of the controversies that sparked off in parliament.
This is not the time to go forward and back about the controversies surrounding the rejection and subsequent approval of the budget because the matter has been largely dealt with.
The Speaker made it clear that having taken his time to read the Order Paper, votes and proceedings and the official reports of the days on the issue, he felt convinced that members should accept the view of conscience of the nation that they owed Ghanaians an apology and he had proceeded to do just that assignment.
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR MPs ABERRATIONS
He said as Head of Parliament, the voice of the Legislature, who speaks for and on behalf of Parliament, hence the title Speaker, he had with all humility apologised on behalf of the House and members for the aberrations of conduct and behaviour of members on those days. According to him he had taken responsibility for what happened in the House and admitted that the House was neither dignified nor exalted by those unruly behaviour of members. He promised to do everything within his power and authority to lead the House to chart a path of transformation, decency and change for the better. He proceeded to state that the conduct of members on those days touched on the legality of decisions arrived at in the House and how they arrived at those decisions. That, he said, would help members to look at those issues dispassionately, in humility, devoid of egos and partisanship.
ALLOWING 1992 CONSTITUTION TO REFLECT MPs OPERATIONS
He then advised the MPs to allow the 1992 Constitution, the enabling laws, precedents and Standing Orders of the House to lead the way and urged them to think about how to strengthen the work of parliament and by extension Ghana’s democratic governance. He admonished them to bear in mind that as MPs, they also represented the people-the citizenry-not just political parties. He described what happened in the chamber as grave disorder with its resultant comedy of errors and warned that he would not take lightly a repeat of such disorder and indiscipline in the House.
Indeed, the Speaker has done what is just and right by apologising to the people of Ghana under whose ticket our MPs rode on to where they are now, for the nasty incident that transpired within parliament during his few days of absence in the country and we need to applaud him for that sterling quality and initiative. He has, indeed, proved that he merited the position he is occupying at the moment and Ghanaians appreciated him for the gesture.
INERTIA CREEPING INTO MPs FOLD
It appears that our parliamentarians are filled with some amount of inertia judging from the way they easily forget some of the laws crafted in the 1992 Constitution and their own Standing Orders regarding their operations in the House. That could either be deliberate or they are just doing that to frustrate and circumvent the laws for their selfish agenda and that is most unfortunate.
This particular shortfall in their operations brings to the fore as to whether there has been continuous refresher courses and training programmes to upgrade themselves in parliamentary processes and procedures. The way the leaders of both sides of the House misinterpreted and misrepresented the laws during the last few weeks in the debate and the passage of the 2022 budget, raises doubt about how they are abreast of issues regarding the operations in parliament.
It is the view of many Ghanaians that as law makers, our MPs need to be conversant with what pertains in the law so that they can easily interpret them with ease without any shred of doubt. That is why Ghanaians applaud the Speaker for the initiative and also setting the tone for more education and update to our parliamentarians to be in tune with the changing trends. More of such briefings are needed periodically to sharpen their skills and intellect on parliamentary processes.
MATURITY IS NEEDED IN MPs WORK
It is important to drum home to our MPs that parliament and for that matter our democracy has come of age, and therefore, our MPs who have been selected through the mandate of the people to lead us must behave responsibly and demonstrate resilience, fortitude and forthrightness as they go about their avowed duties in the August House. They must begin to strengthen their channels of communication and interaction, foster dialogue and consensus building, encourage broader stakeholder consultation and allow the process they have adopted to our young democracy to thrive.
AVOIDANCE OF THE UNNECESSARY CONFRONTATIONS
These unnecessary confrontations, confusion, attacks on one another and chaos within parliament must give way to constructive criticisms to promote peace and development in our dear nation. We salute the Speaker for the profound speech and we hope that the MPs will return from their recess fully refreshed to consider issues raised in the Speaker’s address and apply them for their own good.
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By Charles Neequaye
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
