Queen attributes youth indiscipline to human right liberties

A traditional ruler has observed that the unnecessary hype of civil liberties, is the cause of the high level of indiscipline among the youth prevailing in the country in recent times.

Nana Yaa Adutwumwaa, the queen of Kenyasi Number One in the Asutifi North District of Brong-Ahafo, certain human rights conventions had provided the latitude for young boys and girls to get out of hands to go wayward.

Contributing to a discussion at an advocacy session held in Sunyani to stem newborn deaths in the Region, the queen emphasised with concern that many parents had lost control over their children because some human rights provisions shielded recalcitrant children.

The meeting was organised by the Brong-Ahafo Regional Directorate of Health in partnership with Path, an international NGO and attended by traditional rulers, representatives of religious institutions and civil society organizations.

Nana Adutwumwaa noted that because some human rights provisions had restricted the elderly in controlling the younger ones (crack the whip), respect for the aged and the chieftaincy institution in general had diminished as chiefs and queen could not exercise their traditional powers to the full to correct wrongdoing.

She observed that teenage pregnancy was rife in the society because the upbringing and development of boys and girls had now been the sole responsibility of biological parents and relatives.

“In the olden days, since children were regarded as community assets, any elderly person had the responsibility to correct them whenever they went wayward”, the queen recounted.

Nana Adutwumwaa emphasised that certain traditional values such as the puberty rites, which was useful to society must be revisited and strengthened in curbing teen-age pregnancy and promiscuity.

Nana Afia Siraa-Ababio, the Queen-mother of Kato in the Berekum Traditional Area, said tradition had no link with idol worship and asked the clergy to help in correcting such erroneous impressions among their congregations.

She observed that because of such impression, contemporary society looked down on chiefs and queen-mothers and portrayed them to be evil.