Quashigah says development should be culture based

Tegbi (V/R), Aug. 7, GNA - Major Courage Quashigah (RTD) Minister of Health, has said the focus on western lifestyle to the neglect of the country's culture was retarding development. He said no country could development if it relegated its culture to the background and concentrated on western values that were of little relevance to its people.

"Let us develop the human capital for it is not what God has given nations that makes them great but it is how such resources are harnessed that makes a nation great."

Maj Quashigah said this at a colourful durbar of chiefs and people of the Volta Region at Tegbi to climax the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) Convention 2007 as part of the country's Golden Jubilee.

CEANA is an umbrella organization representing 17 Ewe associations in North America, Canada and Germany. It aims to promote contacts among Ewes in the Diaspora, harness their intellectual, economic and technical know how for the development of Ewe communities in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Maj Quashigah said countries such as China and Singapore were able to develop due to their people's ability to blend their culture with foreign cultures.

"Let us recognise our shortcomings, harness the human resources of the country, taking into account our cultural beliefs and accepting only good foreign cultures."

He called for a complete overhaul of the education curriculum in line with the people's beliefs and practices. "Every tribe should get back to its roots and recapture what they used to do because that is the only way we can develop." Maj Quashigah also called for CEANA's support in introducing a competition that would reward the cleanest district in the Volta Region. The Keta District Chief Executive, Mr Edward Kofi Ahiabor, appealed to members of CEANA to register their dependants with the National Health Insurance Scheme to reduce the burden of sending money home when they fall sick.

He also spoke about ROPAL and urged them to participate in electing leadership for the country when the modalities for voting came out.

The President of CEANA, Mr Wallace Setranah, said the group was one of the strongest, most organized and dynamic in North America and had been a vehicle for promoting and harnessing the intellectual, economic and social cultural talents for the benefit of the Ewe communities. The group is building schools in Ho and Kpando districts. It has started teaching of Ewe language at its general meetings and has strengthened and improved cultural practices. The Chairman for the occasion, Togbi Tengey Dzokoto VI, Dufia of Anyako, urged CEANA to always exhibit the rich culture of Ewes and keep in constant touch with the people at home.

The President of Tegbi Welfare Union, Accra Branch, Mr Konnings Anyigba, said economic activities of the people had deteriorated to a level that could not sustain them and this had resulted in the migration of the youth to the cities.

He said the few survivors building a 1,000-capacity Multi Purpose Development Community Centre and appealed to CEANA for financial assistance to complete the project.