Queen mothers form association

Accra, Dec. 5, GNA - Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, on Tuesday urged queen mothers to mobilise various communities to pay attention and address sanitation issues. They should also ensure that children in their communities were educated in addition to helping to curb the moral decadence among the youth.

Mr Boafo, who was inaugurating the Queens Support Association, a club of queen mothers in Accra, said, as queen mothers and custodians of traditional values, they were expected to play a meaningful role in the development of the nation.

He said as a traditionalist, he did not feel comfortable when the roots of 'our culture is being contaminated with all sorts of imported cultures, with half-clothed women and profane songs on our airwaves and TV sets".

Mr Boafo said: "We are gradually losing our cherished culture and if care is not taken to preserve it, we, as a nation will get lost in the crowd."

He said it was to help to check those problems that the President established the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture to ensure that traditional authority and culture were given their rightful places in the development and governance of the nation.

Mr Boafo urged them to use the association to support Government programmes to achieve total development in their communities, adding that he had the confidence that they would deliver just as past queen mothers like Yaa Asantewaa of Ashanti and Adode Akaibi of the Gas. In a welcoming address, the president of the Association, Nana Ama Serwaa Bonsu, Queenmother of Kayira in Offinso Traditional Area, said it was time for queen mothers to stand up to be counted and to play their part in the development of Ghana.

She said the Association, which was formed in March 2006, aimed at curbing the moral decadence, which was now eating into the very fibre of society, such as homosexuality, indiscipline, and to restore of some the good old traditions that helped to promote morality and discipline among the youth.

Nana Ama Serwaa said the Association's aim was also to help women, who through poverty had gone into prostitution by offering them alternative jobs and help them to work to reduce teenage pregnancy among the youth.

She said the Association with a current member of 24, was opened to all queen mothers in the country.

Other members of the executive are Nana Abena Afriyie, Queenmother of Werempem of Bechem, Secretary; Nana Adutwumwaa Worayewaa, Krontihemaa of Akyem Awisa, organizer, and Nana Monko Aba II, Amanokromhemaa, treasurer.