Features
Traditional values an option for anti-corruption drive — Part 2
Human beings, whether Black, so-called white (because in my opinion, they are more pink than white), yellow or whatever colour, have a tendency for doing the wrong thing. This is why laws and regulations are created to shape mindsets and help people to conform to right attitudes. Left alone, you will be surprised at the things you will see in society.
We often hear elderly people saying, “In our days, children were very submissive. They were very obedient and valued morality.” What they normally do not add is the enforcement regime that existed in those days, where truants could be chased after and brought to school, and teachers would beat the hell out of you by way of lashes. The shame and pain were enough motivation to reform truants. There must be examples of people being punished for corrupt acts, and the punishments must be severe enough to serve as a deterrent to others.
A WhatsApp video I watched recently convinced me that going back to our traditional values is one of the best options for fighting corruption. A journalist was interviewing people at random and asking them a specific question and getting their responses.
A young lady was asked by the journalist, “Do you have a boyfriend?” and she said “Yes.” She then asked her, “Have you ever cheated on your boyfriend?” and her response was “No.” She then repeated the question, and she still insisted that she had never cheated. Then she took a fly whisk, what we call ‘Bodua’ in our local Twi language, and gave it to the lady and asked her to hold it, and then asked her the same question again — and the lady changed her answer. She changed from “no” to a “yes.”
The ‘Bodua’ had some cowries, which is called ‘sedee’ in the local language, and it brought fear into her, compelling her to admit to what she had done in secret. When she realised that there were dire consequences that could be imminent against her, she decided to tell the truth.
The colonial masters did all they could to let us throw away our traditional values by persuading our grandparents to believe that those values were idol worship. Drums were prohibited as part of Christian worship, with the explanation that it was idolatry. The true intention behind all these things was to convince our forefathers that our values were evil, so they would accept the European values in order to create conditions favourable for the Europeans to manipulate them.
The objective clearly was to gain control over the African in order to loot our resources without pushback. As a result, anti-social acts like bribery and corruption in general gradually started creeping into our society because our forebears started practising “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” as the way to go, instead of Tegare dispensing instant justice, which caused people to conform to acceptable societal behaviour.
It is my candid opinion, based on observation over the years, that if we are serious about fighting corruption in this country, then the option of incorporating some of our traditional practices into our governance architecture needs to be given serious consideration.
We have observed this Christian belief of punishment by God in a distant future in heaven for far too long. It has not brought us any benefits; the corruption is on the increase. Let us incorporate some of our traditional values to compel Ghanaians to conform.
Insanity, they say, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. God bless.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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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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