Tepa (Ash), Nov. 24, GNA - Mr Stephen Francis Adjei, Ashanti Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), has called for the modification of all outmoded cultural practices and beliefs to enable the youth to appreciate the country's rich cultural heritage. He expressed the fear that if some of the nation's outmoded cultural values were not modified to stand the test of time, their significance towards development would be hampered.

Mr Adjei made the call when he inaugurated the eight-member Ahafo-Ano North District Cultural Committee at Tepa under the chairmanship of Nana Kofi Bosompem.

He said since culture was dynamic, our traditional rulers should endeavour to bring forth for discussion all discriminatory cultural laws in the society so as to find remedies to them. This had become necessary, Mr Adjei said considering the very serious infiltration of foreign culture into the very foundation of the country's development.

The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Vincent Amissah, said the inauguration of the Committee was not only going to be the beginning of effort to preserve the district's proud culture, but also to revive and refine it and present it to the youth and all the people of Ashanti. Mr Amissah charged the committee members to distinguish themselves and not to use the committee to engage in vices.

Mr Mathew Akowuah, District Cultural Officer, in his welcome address said the District Assembly from now on would compliment the efforts of the chiefs in funding and creating the necessary infrastructure like a cultural complex for the district to facilitate the interaction of the youth and the teaching of employable skills like batik tie and dye, weaving, pottery, carving and others at the centre. Nana Kwadwo Sarbeng, Kyidomhene of Tepa traditional area, who chaired the function, appealed to the District Assembly to fund the committee to enable it to establish cultural clubs in schools to make them fully understand their own culture.