Features
The Diaspora engagements
At the start of this year, I did promise to bring to readers at points in time some of the positive things that Ghanaian immigrants and others in the diaspora were accomplishing or trying to accomplish, in Finland.
I wrote that there were a lot of engagements among Ghanaian immigrants in Finland— within the Ghana Union Finland as the representative association of the Ghanaian community, as well as by individuals and even other African immigrants collaborating with their Ghanaian counterparts.
There are many positive things that are happening within the Ghanaian immigrant community in Finland.
Great efforts are being made by certain groups or associations as well as individuals, which need to be highlighted.
As I keep pointing out, Finland encourages migrants’ participation in the planning of issues concerning the migrants themselves as one of the efficient ways to improve their inclusion.
Health webinars
Recently, an immigrant originally from Cameroon has been organising health awareness webinars. Last December she collaborated with some Finnish institutions and organised a webinar for creating Cancer awareness.
These online events were very important especially during the COVID-19 and lockdown period. One such event was in collaboration with some Finnish institutions to organise an event to create awareness of chronic diseases.
This is very important since many immigrants are becoming more aware of their aging population and the need to take care of their wellbeing and lifestyles in order to stay healthy.
There are some people within the Ghanaian migrant community who have retired or are nearing retirement and thinking about their pension issues. At the same time, the thoughts among many Ghanaian or African immigrants centre on how to keep themselves healthy and avoid becoming chronic or life-threatening illness.
Academic journey of Ghanaian/African immigrants
Another area of attention falls within the academic path. This month and the next, as part of the Black history month, a portrait exhibition is being organised to celebrate contributions to various fields of study by Black Academics.
This exhibition is expected to present portraits and biographies of Black Ph.D. students, post-doctoral fellows, and Professors from different fields.
According to the organisers, the objective is to allow the academics share their stories and experiences as inspiration to young students and those who want to pursue an academic career.
Other areas
A number of immigrants’ associations or social groups are being formed and dedicated to serving people, especially immigrants, in one way or the other.
Most of these associations are Diaspora networks that engage in cultural displays, educating people about cultural heritage and entertainment.
This area also includes the many small businesses set up by individuals to serve people within the Ghanaian and other African immigrant communities.
Encouragement
This is a way to encourage others within the Ghanaian/African community, where the many personalities and institutions have contributed to or are ensuring the smooth running of things for the immigrants in Finland.
As I wrote the last time, many of them have used their knowledge and abilities to encourage and help improve the lives of members of the Ghanaian immigrant community in Finland.
Many have acquired huge expertise and resources (academically, economically, technically, technologically, etc.) and try to give something back to society through imparting that to others or supporting them in other means.
In this way, the immigrants also get integrated into the host Finnish society. Thank you!
Email: perpetualcrentsil@yahoo.com
By Perpetual Crentsil
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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