Maampehia (B/A), March 2, GNA- Mr. Anthony Kwaku Marnuh, Techiman Deputy Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), has called on Ghanaians with cultural talents to impart their knowledge to the youth.

He said this would help posterity to preserve and promote the nation's rich culture.

Mr. Marnuh, made the call at a one-day cultural festival of poetry recitals, drum language, dance and drama and choral music for 12 primary and six Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the Nsuta zone circuit at Maampehia.

For Ghanaians to cherish the nation's culture, it is imperative for parents to teach their children creative drum language and poetry recitals so that they could sustain it for the future, he said. Mr. Marnuh said it was against this background that the Ministry of Education had made it a policy that cultural studies be intensified in first and second cycle schools.

Mr. Kwaku Donyinah, Municipal cultural officer of the GES stressed the need for parents to discourage their children from copying foreign cultures.

He said a zonal cultural committee had been set up in the municipality to co-ordinate activities under the programme. Opanin Kwaku Manu, chief farmer of Maampehia, who presided, commended the government for its foresight in getting children involved in the promotion, development and preservation of the country's culture. In the poetry recitals, Nsuta Roman Catholic JSS came first with 18 points, Nsuta Nana Yeboah placed second with 17 and a half points, Nkrankrom and Kyidom JSS placed third scoring 16 points apiece while Agosa SDA placed fourth with 15 points.

In the primary division, Nsuta R/C took the first place with 18 points followed by Nkrankrom L/A, 17 and a half points, Agosa took the third position with 16 and a half points and Konkrompe L/A fourth with 16 points.

In the dance drama, Nsuta R/C JSS came first with 26 points with Agosa SDA placing second with 12 points whilst in the primary level, Nsuta Sreso came first with 27 and a half points, Maampehia L/A, was second with 25 points, Nsuta R/C, third with 24 points and Nsuta SDA placing fourth with 20 points.

In the choral music, Nsuta R/C JSS emerged winners with 31 points followed by Nsuta Nana Yeboah JSS with 29 points, Agosa SDA JSS placed third with 25 points and Nkrankrom JSS was fourth with 24 points. Bonkwae SDA primary came first with 35 points in the choral music, followed by Nsuta R/C with 34 points, Maampehia got 31 points to place third while Nkrankrom got 30 points to place fourth.

In the drum language Nsuta Nana Yeboah JSS won the competition with 23 points. They schools were presented with certificates.