By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Sekondi, March 23, GNA – The English Assembly of the Sekondi District Church of Pentecost has organised a day’s leadership summit on emotional intelligence for leaders and professionals from public and private institutions to foster improved human relations and development.
The summit was under the theme, “Developing Emotional Intelligence in Leadership”.
The leadership summit saw the presence of officials from the various Security Services, Ghana Health Service, Clergymen, Heads of Institutions, Entrepreneurs, and people from academia.
Dr Elliot Kwaku Anyidoho, the Presiding Elder of the Church, said the summit was a commitment to improving a holistic well-being and fostering unity through the development of emotional intelligence.
He encouraged citizens to build their emotional intelligence to help in the administration of their leadership skills.
Rt. Rev. Ing. Prof. Joshua Danso Owusu Sekyere, Former Vice Chancellor of the Cape Coast Technical University said emotional intelligence was the most sought after attitude in the workplace because it created an enabling environment for an effective working relationship.
He said leadership was not all about gaining power, but rather exhibiting integrity, commitment, courage, intelligence, empathy, accountability among other leadership skills that would promote good leader and subordinate relationships.
Touching on the act of emotional intelligence holistically, he mentioned it was the duty of every person to recognise, understand and manage emotions and that of others adding that, “before one can bring out the best in others the individual ought to bring out the best in himself”.
He outlined four basic domains of emotional intelligence as; self awareness, self regulation and management, social awareness, and relationship management.
The Former VC said it was imperative that, one recognised his or her strengths and weakness and its impacts on others as negative emotions might lead to an unruly behaviour.
Professor Owusu Sekyere encouraged leaders to show empathy in the discharge of their duties as it would go a long way to foster togetherness.
He urged all and sundry to value long term relationships, avoid undue criticisms and meet the emotional needs of others.
Apostle ADP James Teye Tetteh, the Area Head of the Church of Pentecost Sekondi, during his exhortation urged all to be at peace with others as the Holy Bible as believers to do.
Dr. Joseph Tambil, the Medical Director at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital educated the congregation on Stroke/Cerebrovascular Accidents.
He stated that stroke was an ailment commonly associated with old people but becoming rampant in young people in recent times due to the abuse of narcotics.
Dr. Tambil said children with sickle cell condition were also susceptible to stroke.
The Medical Director urged members of society to therefore exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, avoid alcohol, and smoke abuse and importantly keep blood pressure at a normal read.
He was worried that stroke was gaining a public health status and encouraged everyone to stay healthy and avoid unhelpful lifestyles.
Mr. Abdul Mumin Issah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) said a positive attitude towards emotional intelligence would help the country to cultivate a culture of empathy, resilience, and inclusivity to create an enabling environment to achieve health, peace, and development.
He entreated all to embark on a transformative journey for the good of all and the nation.
Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, and the Member of Parliament for Takoradi Constituency, in an address read on his behalf also emphasised on the relevance of emotional intelligence to the development of a country and commended the Church of Pentecost for organising such a programme for national development.
Some participants, the GNA spoke with expressed great satisfaction about the programme and hoped it would be an annual event to create awareness on relevant topics to contribute to nation building and development.
GNA