Features
The Ghana Fumbling Association (GFA)
• Kurt Okraku, GHA President
The country Ghana is an association of fumblers. Given any opportunity, we fumble and make a mess of ourselves. We ask our citizens to give us their votes to serve them only to fumble with the opportunity and turn our failure right back on the voters.
I have always argued against the saying that “opportunity comes but once”. Just like some people, this country has had opportunities on numerous occasions but fumbled each time. This government has had more pecuniary inflows than any other in our history, but has fumbled with the economy.
Even after the monumental COVID cash receipts and our boast that we managed the pandemic better than all other countries, we still blame our current woes on COVID. Given the opportunity to get Finance Minister Mr. Ofori-Atta sacked, our NPP and NDC Members of Parliament who all want him out are fumbling with the issue and Ken remains very much at post and calling the economic shots.
When our Electoral Commission had the greatest opportunity to add to Ghana’s elections distinction, Mrs. Jean Mensa and her team fumbled with varying figures at Election 2020. With the unique opportunity to rubbish the said election fumbling, the NDC also fumbled at the Supreme Court with no clear evidence to prove their case.
Now, let me bring in Qatar 2022 where, once again, Ghana fumbled. In my estimation, the current crop of players is the best yet. They are youthful, hungry for success and determined to go places. But, again, there is a Ghana Fumbling Association in charge. I watched our match against Uruguay and in spite of my belief we could carry the day, my heart skipped a beat when Captain Dede Ayew elected to take that fateful spot kick.
I am aware there is a template for taking penalties, but this was a different environment altogether. First, Ghanaians have been psyched for revenge on what Louis Suarez did to our country at South Africa 2010. Second, though coach Otto Addo said publicly that revenge was not on the team’s mind, the question is how psyched were the players to not have the same mindset on the field of play?
Knowing Dede Ayew was the only survivor of that South Africa debacle, the team psychologist, if there was one, should have asked that he not take a penalty during open play, the template notwithstanding. Dede quickly thought it was payback time when he elected to take that kick. His momentary hesitation at the blast of the whistle spelt doom for the team.
I believe Dede Ayew is not matured enough to have appreciated the enormity of the situation, else he would have given the chance to his younger brother, Jordan or anyone else to effect that kick. I do not blame Dede at all, but that miss told the players, “We’ve been down this road before and here we go again.” I told those watching the match with me that Dede would miss the chance if he took the kick and if he did, Ghana were out of the tournament.
The issue with us is the player turnover rate in our national teams. Only a few of the players who qualified the team for the tournament were in the final selection. Despite being eliminated, everyone admits that Senegal have been a formidable team because the players have been together in the team for a long time. The Black Stars do not have that luxury. Other players with godfathers will be drafted into the team if there is a national assignment tomorrow.
I recollect an interview granted me when I was Deputy Editor of the then Accra Mail by Ali Jaraa. That interview opened a vista for my interest in our football stars. Jaraa mostly touched on his ailment, his frustration at being neglected by some of those who should have cared and his future plans in spite of his extremely debilitating condition.
As a result of this, I have spoken to a lot of footballers, not as a journalist but as an older fellow with an interest in football matters. They easily open up and tell their tales. Almost all the narrative has been confirmed by a documentary I watched on France newfound maestro, Kylian Mbappe, who is making waves at Qatar 2022.
Mbappe hails from Cameroon and his father wanted him to play for the Indomitable Lions, but some officials of the Cameroon FA wanted money before the youngster could play for his fatherland. France saw the potential and Mbappe is on a roll. The documentary says that this lust for money is prevalent in African football, the reason our teams cannot go far. Ghana is no exception. You need a godfather to get on our national teams.
At times you need to pay to be fielded. Not only that, the interference in team selection from influential people is nauseating. There are a minimum of a dozen players of African descent in the French national team, yet their compatriots in African teams do not go far in tournaments on the world stage.
Dede and Jordan Ayew are not known to have played in our domestic league, but they have featured consistently for the national team. Does this explain anything?
Every player of our team at Qatar 2022, save Barnieh, plies their game in foreign clubs, not so? What does this explain?
I heard coach Otto Addo say he has stepped down as the manager of our team. I do not believe he took the decision because he doesn’t like the team any longer. He didn’t take the job because of the money either. He lives in relative comfort. My suspicion is that he might be uncomfortable with the managers of the Football Association. I may be wrong, but what could the matter have otherwise been?
Another news report stated that Otto Addo claims he took the decision because there were negative reactions when he was given the job. This cannot be the case as far as I am concerned. As a Ghanaian, Otto Addo cannot pretend to not know what comes with the territory of managing our teams.
There are over 30 million coaches in Ghana, over 30 million soccer analysts and yet over 30 million football critics in this country. So, managing any of our teams cannot be a walk in the park. It is even possible that the GFA is an enemy of the national teams it is supposed to be in charge of.
The players cannot talk because to do so will reduce their marketability if they don’t feature for the national team. And the managers know this too well and take advantage of the boys….and even the girls.
Whatever it will take to keep Otto Addo and his boys together for as long as it takes, the football authorities must do it. Addo, or any manager so appointed, must be assured of free hands to handle his job without let or hindrance.
What has happened to the development of the game from Colts to Academicals and to the national teams? How long can we allow our national team players to be born and incubated in foreign lands? Then it becomes an issue of begging them to switch their nationality to Ghana.
I check myself for mentioning Academicals. I wonder what Academicals to think of when a dozen students in Senior High School share less than a tin of mackerel at a meal. What energy will they have to engage in games or sports?
The reality is that, as a country, we are in a fix. And something must give.
Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr. Akofa K. Segbefia
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
