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Wrong recruitment a danger to the Ghanaian society

Agatha is a beautiful young lady who had a dream of becoming a Medical Doctor.  However, things became financially difficult for her due to the passing away of her Dad at Senior High School (SHS) 2 since there was no Free SHS Policy in place at the time.

In her final year, she realised that her dream of going to pursue medicine at the university had to be modified. 

She decided to pursue nursing after SHS contrary to her original plan since there was policy of payment of allowance, which would greatly help her to overcome her financial challenges, which involved supporting her mom to assist her younger siblings who were in SHS. 

Agatha qualified as a nurse and was employed by the Ghana Health Service and posted to one of the hospitals in the country.  Although qualified as a nurse, her passion for the job was not strong enough and, therefore, her attitude in providing care left much to be desired. 

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There are a lot of Agathas’ in our health facilities.  An effective recruitment programme into the nursing fraternity would have easily identified that Agatha was not cut out for the job.

 Joe was a SHS leaver but his character was nothing to write home about at school and at home.  Everybody in the community knew that he was a wee smoker. 

He was involved in a lot of disciplinary issues at school but because his uncle was an influential politician, he managed to intervene on the several instances that Joe fell foul of the school regulations. 

Within a year after leaving school, he was drafted into the police service without any proper background check.  Joe went through the recruits training and some months later he passed out as full-fledged policeman whose moral upbringing was not cut out for the work he found himself in.

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Joe is now officially clothed with the authority to use “reasonable” force where necessary and are you surprised when a journalist gets brutalised for taking a picture of a policeman who is apparently breaking the law?  Are you surprised when hard drugs kept in police custody suddenly turns into a harmless substance?  Are you surprised when armed robbers are arrested and some of them are identified as policemen?  There are Joes’ in the security forces.

When we were growing up in the late 60s and early 70s, teachers were the embodiment of discipline. They were our role models and commanded such a huge respect in both the schools and among the general public. They were at the top of the list of opinion leaders and seldom would you hear of a teacher involved in some scandal. 

What is happening now in the educational sector concerning teachers, has tarnished the enviable reputation they used to enjoy during our days.  It has been scandal upon scandal.  A case was reported recently, of a teacher who had impregnated a Junior High School (JHS) student at Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region and an attempt to abort the pregnancy,  resulted in the destruction of the womb of the girl. 

Again, the reasons behind such behaviours are not hard to find.  Some people are now in the teaching field not because they have passion for the teaching profession but largely due to economic pressure.  

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The stories we hear of that boggles the mind, especially those of us who have been around for a long time in this country, can be attributed to the recruitment systems in place.  There is a popular phrase in computer industry known as “gigo” that is garbage in-garbage out. 

The outcome of the ineffective recruitment in the various civil and public services is the manifestation of decadent behaviour we are witnessing.  As the saying goes, “a leopard can never change its spots”.

The character formed in a person is very difficult to change and this must guide people in authority in fashioning out a policy for recruitment into the various government institutions.

There must be a holistic approach towards the way people are recruited.  There has to be a total review of how interviews are conducted for selection into the various institutions. 

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There should be a psychological review aspect of the process where people are tested or examined to determine their character in terms of morality. There should be a process which applicants must go through for the determination of their real intention, in applying for the job.  This would help in determining suitability of applicants so that those who really love the particular profession they are applying for are selected.

It is not only the government institutions that as a society we should worry about.  The profession of men in clerical must also engage our attention.  It is a fact that the pastors are not employees of government institutions but they play a very vital role in shaping the mindset of people and, therefore, the society.

 They serve as a moral compass for the society and their actions must be brought under close scrutiny given the negative reports emanating from their ranks. There is a clamour for their actions to be regulated by the state. 

A Moderator of one of the leading religious denominations was on TV last Sunday disagreeing to this call for regulating the activities of pastors but rather calling for pastors to be treated as individuals, and that those who fell foul of the law be dealt with according to the law. 

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Taking into account the number of incidents involving pastors who are not under any structured religious denomination, it must be of concern to any right thinking member of the society.  These one-man church pastors are not accountable to anyone. 

They allocate titles to themselves and whether they actually received a call from God or it was just a “flash”, you and I were not there so we cannot tell.  A lot of them are what I call ‘spiritual entrepreneurs’; they are in for just money.  It is a business enterprise to them and not any desire to win souls for God, so morality is thrown to the dogs. 

A national dialogue can be initiated by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Christian Council, The Muslim Council, The Peace Council, The Civil Service, Civil Society Organisations and other relevant stakeholders to fashion out a policy for recruitment into various government organisations and screening of potential pastors and even non-governmental organisations and businesses. 

This is one of the surest ways to eliminate or reduce corruption, because if someone pays a bribe to be given a job, it is an investment which he or she would find means to recover.  It would also ensure that the right people in terms of real passion for the particular job are recruited. The so called protocol selection must cease, otherwise the inequality in our society would never end. 

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A first step would be the consideration of the use of IT which would eliminate human interference as much as possible, so that the selection would be done by computers, based on defined selection criteria just like the one for selection into the universities and senior high schools.    

The Average Citizen

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 The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah

• In modern-day Sodom, both the good and the bad co-exist
• In modern-day Sodom, both the good and the bad co-exist

The biblical Sodom and Gomorrah typified sin in its raw, carnal and abominable form.

Sin was widespread and so deep-rooted that the Lord could not find even 10 righteous men in the twin city.

If He found at least 10, Sodom and Gomorrah would have been saved from the blazing fire that turned the entire city into ashes; courtesy of God’s anger and fury.

Sodom and Gomorrah was quite forgotten since the days of Noah until a slum developed in the Odododiodio constituency of the Greater Accra Re­gion of the Republic of Ghana. It was not named Sodom and Gomorrah out of whim. Some say it is the cradle of sin, another birthplace of the seeds of transgression.

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Others beg to differ

Whatever it is, in modern-day Sodom, both the good and the bad co-exist. There are good, righteous, hardworking fellows earning a decent living but have to pass each night in Sodom because foxes have holes and birds have nests but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.

In Sodom and Gomorrah today, you’d find civil servants, reverend ministers, businessmen, aspiring politicians, technocrats, polytechnic students and managing directors. You’ll also find robbers, prostitutes, graded pimps, sodomists, small-time pickpockets, magicians, boxers and kpalogo dancers. So you’ll find both good and bad people.

History has always repeated itself. The current Sodom and Gomorrah was burnt down recently but not completely. Certainly, more than 10 righteous folks were found there. So some areas were spared.

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The problem now is that, there are plans to resettle residents of the infamous twin city, and one of the reasons is that, the place is so filthy and disease-ridden so much that the continued human existence is deemed not in the interest of any­body.

A new settlement is what the gov­ernment sees as ideal for these peo­ple, more so when the name Sodom and Gomorrah is nothing complimen­tary as a name.

The residents, however, say that they love the place. Their hearts and souls are enshrined in Sodom and Gomorrah, so they won’t move, bull­dozer or not.

The situation recalls the one similar to the people of Tema Mahean who lived at the site where Meridian Hotel is located. To get the site for the hotel, the Nkrumah government had to resettle the indigenes who were rather unwilling.

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A bulldozer was brought in to do the job, and the people still feel bitter about it. Their collective soul was uprooted and of course, they left a curse, as some people say. The Meridian Hotel and its present state, similar to a bomb-ridden edifice, may be a living testimony of the bitter­ness of the people.

But the difference between the Tema and Sodom variants – the Tema case was that of an ancestral home with its shrine and roots. Sodom and Gomorrah is a slum that has devel­oped over the years, and you’d find people of various nationalities there. They include Burkinabes, Nigeriens, Ivorians. Some are perchers; others appear and disappear as and when they deem fit.

“It would be a mistake for this government to send us away after we’ve voted for Kufuor for positive change”, one resident has said. “We cannot be sent away like animals.

They must give us time to decide. We support the government, so the government must not go against our wishes and make us miserable”.

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Another resident I had a chat with said the government should think about places like Ashaiman (pronounced by many ‘Ashiaman’), because the sins of Sodom and Go­morrah are nothing to be compared to the abominations of Ashaiman.

“I’ve stayed at Ashaiman before and I know the difference. In Ashi­aman you can find every type of criminal. Sodom and Gomorrah is not a crime haven, as others think. It is a residential area for the poor. And if poverty can be said to be a crime, then we are criminals. Otherwise, we are like anybody else,” he said.

The mention of Ashaiman was in­triguing. Ashaiman, also called Hanoi, may be one of the infamous crime cities in West Africa, sharing the infa­my with places like Brooklyn, Harlem and Manhattan in the United States.

But those who live in Ashaiman have very favourable comments about the place. They admit that criminals live there. But the good thing about it is that they don’t commit their crimes in Ashaiman. They go out to sin and come back to roost quietly. After all the township is full of poor people you cannot steal from, they contend.

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Yeah, Sodom and Gomorrah is once again about to be obliterated from the surface of the earth. Personally, I do not like the name, and it both­ers me. At any rate, I believe that if the people are going to be resettled, it should be done benevolently and what should precede it is education.

They must be told why it is neces­sary to resettle them. And in reset­tling them, they should be comfort­able – electricity, water, playground for the kids and recreational centres, etc. They must leave smiling, not grumbling and leaving curses behind.

This article was first published on Saturday May5, 2001

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A focus on Asanteman Finland

Today, I continue my narration of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland with a focus on the Asanteman Finland association.

The Asanteman association in Finland has chalked significant accomplishments and successes which must be made known to the public. 

Formation

Before the current Asanteman Finland association was formed a few years ago, there existed the Asanteman Kuo Finland, which was established in early 2004 and registered at the Patent Registry in Helsinki in 2006.

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The idea to form such an association came about following the desire of some Ghanaians from the Asante ethnic group to come together with the aim of supporting each other, and to ensure unity among its members and with others in the Finnish society.

Their first meeting was in the home of Mr Kwabena Nyamaa (nicknamed Blower), who later was appointed as the Abusuapanin (head of family) of the group. Unfortunately, this first group collapsed, but a new association was formed.

Structure and hierarchy

The Asanteman Finland has a unique structure of organisation. It operates the usual structure for organisations but also adopts the traditional Asante/Akan style of hierarchical structure in the same ways as how an Asante/Akan community or society is usually organised in Ghana.

Thus, the Asanteman Finland has a president, secretary, organising secretary, etc., who are each elected and run the day to day affairs of the association as the executive group.

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This runs alongside the traditional leadership structure of the Chief, Queen-mother, Kurontihene, Abusuapanin, etc., details of which I will focus in my subsequent descriptions of the leadership structure of the Asanteman association (in terms of both the traditional hierarchy and the more formal, executive body style).

Projects and achievements

The Asanteman association has a number of projects they have engaged in to support people and other groups or institutions. In 2007, the old association donated digital blood pressure monitors to some hospitals in Ghana.

In 2011, the group supported the Akomadan Hospital by renovating part of the hospital’s building with roofing sheets. Also, in 2014 the association supported the Jachie Training Center for physically-challenged people, renovating their facilities. Members also donated hospital equipment to Assin Fosu, Mampongten, Agona Asamang, etc., as well as financial support to a hole-in-heart patient.

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The new Asanteman association has also made considerable contributions. In 2021/2022, during the COVID-19 period, the group sent support to Ghana. Again, the association is cooperating with the larger group, Asanteman Europe, and the members are in the process of contributing towards the rehabilitation of the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.

Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland

The Asanteman plays a prominent role in the Ghanaian community in Finland. The association was the first to be formed after the Ghana Union Finland. It is thus a pioneer in that sense of an association representing a Ghanaian ethnic group.

The association helps or gives support to its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them and to help them organise the funeral. They arrange counselling and educative sessions to the youth such as to teach them the adowa dance and other traditional values.

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It also engages in conflict resolution in other to maintain unity and peace in the group. The group also mobilises their members for various activities that help in integration efforts. For example, the leaders mobilise the other members, including the women in activities such as cooking together, sharing information and learning things from each other.

The Asanteman also collaborates with the Ghana Union Finland, an association for Ghanaian migrants in Finland whose aims include bringing together all Ghanaian migrants resident in Finland and promoting cultural activities in Finland for better intercultural and multicultural understanding.

Displaying a rich culture

When it comes to displaying part of a Ghanaian culture, the Asanteman is unmatchable, so to speak. Other groups representing the Brong Ahafo, Gadangbe, Mfantseman, Eastern Region, and Nzema all endeavour to portray the culture and values of their ethnic origins, but it can be said that the Asanteman remain the pioneer and tops in showcasing their rich culture of the Asante heritage.

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They take a prominent position in enacting a “royal entry” at events organised by the Ghana Union Finland and other groups, where they display colourful kente attire adorned with ornaments, amidst traditional drumming and adowa dance.

Collaborations with other African groups in Finland, alliances abroad

The Asanteman collaborates with groups such as the Igbo association in Finland and other African nationalities at their events, where Asanteman Finland showcases the Asante/Ghanaian culture.

They are a prominent member of the Asanteman Europe, an umbrella association that seeks to bring together all Asanteman associations abroad. Asanteman Finland also collaborates with individual such associations in other European countries. 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.

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With Dr Perpetual Crentsil

perpetual.crentsil@yahoo.com

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