Nkoranza (B/A), July 15, GNA - Mr. Adjei Yeboah, Presiding Member of Nkoranza District Assembly has called for greater importance to be attached to the teaching of Ghanaian languages in schools to sustain the culture of the people.

Speaking at the celebration of the Nkoranza Zonal Basic Schools Cultural festival at Nkoranza he expressed concern about the adoption of foreign cultures to the neglect of indigenous ones by the youth. "It is time we encourage and teach the youth the importance of our cultures so they can grow to love and practise them," the Presiding Member added.

Mr. Yeboah noted that the culture of a people make them distinct from others and Ghanaians need to be proud of and promote the country's cultural heritage.

The Presiding Member called on teachers to be very serious with the teaching of cultural studies as foreign cultural practices were dominating the lives of the younger generation. Mr. Enoch Osei-Sarfo, district education assistant director in-charge of schools' inspection, urged parents to educate their children about their cultures.

"The way people dress, talk in public, dance, walk and even eat have a lot to tell about the culture of an area, hence the need for the youth to learn them to accelerate national development," he said. He noted that the theme of the festival, "Culture, the bedrock of discipline in our society", challenged Ghanaians "to allow our cultures to guide us to shun negative practices and social vices."

Mr. Eric Kenneth Ampong, District Cultural Officer, said the festival featured choral music, poetry recital, drum language, dance drama and exhibition of art and craft materials.

He said a district cultural troupe would be formed after the zonal festivals for the inter-district festival next academic year. Nana Okofo Agyapong III, Adontenhene of Nkoranza, who presided urged religious bodies not to regard culture as idolism "since before Christianity the culture of every state existed."

Also present at the festival were Mr. Stephen Atta-Opoku, Assistant Director, Human Resource and Manpower Development and Mr. John Opoku-Ampoh, Nkoranza circuit supervisor.