Chief decries negative impact of Social Media

The Chief of Amoamang of the Atwima Nwabiagya District within the Ashanti Region, Nana Agyenim Boateng I, has expressed worrying concerns about the negative impacts of social media on English language and the youth in Ghana.

The traditional ruler was speaking recently at the launch of the books ‘The African Youth Question: Issues, Actors & Solutions’ and ‘The Dreams of Our Youth’ at the British Council in Accra.

The two books were written by a member and General Secretary of pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), Arnold Boateng. According to the chief, many users of the new media, particularly facebook, whatsapp and twitter “are compelled to write shorthand and couch other forms of words to enable them to communicate with ease and within the shortest possible time.”

This, he lamented, “has resulted in the fallen standards of the English language, especially when it comes to spellings of words or what used to be dictation during our school days.”

Nana Agyenim Boateng has, therefore, entreated the youth to be wary of the use of facebook, whatsapp and other forms of social media and to try as much as possible to adopt the positives that come with the new technology.

He also appealed to school authorities to encourage reading among their pupils and students, especially at the foundational level of learning.

Meanwhile, the traditional leader has expressed the optimism that the books launched by Mr Boateng would be of “immense benefit for generations to come”, admonishing the youth of Africa to begin to take their destiny into their own hands instead of waiting on politicians who continue to betray the trust of the continent.