Wa, June 29, GNA - The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr. Caesar Kale has advised the youth not to blindly imitate or practice foreign cultures to the detriment of their own cultures. He said culture was indispensable in any society and therefore the love for foreign cultures by the youth was suicidal to their wellbeing and growth.

He urged them to modernise some aspects of the cultural practices that they found to be dehumanizing, and imbued them with the good cultural practices of their ancestors to enhance national cohesion and development.

Mr. Kale was addressing school children at the 11th Upper West Basic Schools Inter-Districts Arts and Culture Festival held in Wa, to select the best cultural group to represent the region at the National Festival of Arts and Culture in Wa, in September this year. The festival was on the theme: "Culture, an Epitome of Our Moral Values", and would provide the districts the opportunity to compete in "poetry, drama, drum language, dance drama and choral music among others.

Mr. Kale said culture was indispensable in any society, and if the youth of today fail to adopt the culture of their people, then they would live to regret in future.

He cautioned the youth about the dangers of drug abuse, alcoholism and illicit sex, pointing out that drug abuse such as the intake of Indian hemp and other hard drugs were some of the causes of indiscipline in schools.

He said government recognized the importance of culture and would help to promote it by integrating it with modern science and technology through the educational system.

Mr. Kale bemoaned the adulteration of the rich culture of the Region through religious and other foreign cultural influences, and called for concerted efforts to discourage the youth from indulging in such practices.

Mr. Duogu Yakubu, Wa Municipal Chief Executive, in his welcoming address, asked the youth in the region to stay way from using the internet for mischievous purposes. He urged them to rather use it to help achieve higher academic successes to help push the development agenda of the region forward to benefit the people.

Mr. Cletus S. Paaga, Upper West Regional Director of Education said government attached importance to culture and had therefore introduced it as a subject under the educational reforms to be taught at the basic schools level.

He urged the pupils to take the study of culture seriously as it would add more value and respect to them when they grow up to become responsible people.