The Asante-Akim South District Cultural Officer, Mr. Yaw Boamah Kwabi, has called for a more aggressive push to protect the youth from foreign cultures that tend to value violence and indiscipline.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that this was vital for the unity, cohesion and progress of the nation.

He attributed the growing waywardness and impunity in the society to the neglect and jettisoning of “our cultural values and traditional practices”, all in the name of modernity.

Mr. Kwabi spoke of how in the past, elderly people could discipline an erring child of a neighbour, without running into any trouble with the parents.

That, he noted, kept children within the confines of acceptable social behaviour – respect for authority and honesty.

He expressed concern about the virtual extinction of traditional festivals and practices which promoted unity and socio-economic development of the communities.

He said these needed to be revived to aid the younger generation to take pride in “our distinct way of life as a people”.

The other highpoint of traditional festivals was that these provided the opportunity for community development planning and to settle feuds between families and friends, he added.