Minister expresses worry over adulteration of culture

Kpandai (N/R), Jun 28, GNA - Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, the Northern Regional Minister, has expressed worry over the adulteration of the Ghanaian culture, saying it was rendering the cherished cultural practices of the people unpopular.

"What is more disturbing is the fact that our youth in educational institutions and schools are the most affected by this unfortunate borrowed ways of life", the Minister said.

Mr Mabengba said this in a speech read for him at the 12th Northern Region Basic Schools Inter-District Festival of Arts organized by the Ghana Education Service (GES) at Kpandai on Monday.

The four-day event brought together pupils from selected schools from all the 20 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the region.

It aims at showcasing the varied and dynamic cultures of ethnic groups in the region to foster unity and integration among the people.

Some of the activities to be performed at the event, which is under the theme: 93Bridging Yesterday's Wisdom and Tomorrow's Vision 96 A Challenge to Our Culture", include drama, dance choreography, drum language, and poetry recitals.

The Minister said 93culture is the institution that demonstrates a set of core values, which is central to the social contract, which binds people together in a cohesive structure and civilization, portrays maturity, a sense of truth, honour, dignity, justice and social responsibility".

He however noted that this was being undermined by some influences making "our heritage, identity, and uniqueness to lose out to the meaningless foreign cultures".

He said 93We therefore, have a moral duty either as individuals or in our collective efforts to zealously nurture, promote and manifest our Ghanaian culture, which is the most diverse, with its glamorous beauty".

Mr Mabengba said there was the need to examine the existing nature and operations of culture and to assess the roles of traditional institutions and practices in nation building, development and understanding so as to integrate them into the ways of life of the people.

He appealed to teachers and other workers in the education sector to work to maintain, promote, perpetuate and enrich the nation's outstanding culture.

Mr Jatoh Moayi Jasper, the District Chief Executive for Kpandai, spoke against the incidence of employing derogatory and undignified lyrics in contemporary popular music compositions, which was taking root in the country.

He said the incidence had become increasingly offensive to the sensibilities of the decent civil society and called on players in the arts and entertainment industry, including broadcasting houses, to sharpen their tools to ensure that what they produced conformed to the country's laws and norms.

Mrs Elizabeth De-Souza, the Northern Regional Director of the GES, expressed satisfaction at the organization of the event saying it would help the pupils to appreciate and uphold the country's culture.