By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani, (Bono), March 29, GNA – The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) at the weekend urged parents to encourage their children to learn and speak their diverse local dialects in homes to boost and preserve the nation’s cultural tourism.
Parents must also endeavour to teach their children how to prepare local diets and encourage them to consume traditional food too.
Mr Elike Dei-Zanga, the Deputy Bono Regional Director of the GTA, gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on the sideline of a sensitization forum in Sunyani.
The St Anselm Child Development Center (CDC) of the Sunyani Anglican Diocese with support from the Sunyani Anglican Diocese and Compassion International, a non-governmental organisation organised the heritage and child rights sensitization forum in Sunyani.
Attended by chiefs and queens, the clergy, and Heads of Departments and Agencies, the forum provided an opportunity for the school children to also showcase some locally prepared cuisine and drinks to promote the month.
It was on the theme: “upholding cultural and social values while advocating for children’s rights”.
Mr Dei-Zanga explained that local food, dialects and traditional dresses reflected the true identity of the people and preserve the nation’s heritage and thereby boost cultural tourism.
However, he expressed worry that the growing trend of foreign cultures, being manifested in what many Ghanaians consumed nowadays, turned to adulterate the country’s culture and heritage.
Mr Dei-Zanga said it was imperative to discourage children from developing the taste for foreign cuisine, and inspiring them to consume locally made products.
He called on parents, teachers and religious and community leaders to take pride in the nation’s culture and tradition, saying “we must all commit to keeping our culture and tradition alive”.
Established in 2016, Mr Duodu Bimpong, the Project Director of the St Anselm CDC said the center aimed at building the spiritual and physical wellbeing of the 264 school children.
“We must also encourage them to appreciate our diverse culture and tradition, while bringing them up responsibly so that they will also grow to appreciate and preserve our culture and tradition”, he stated.
The Very Reverend Martin Apraku, the Dean of the St Anselm Cathedral of the Sunyani Anglican Diocese, said culture and tradition “are biblical and not devilish”, and asked parents to teach and let their children appreciate them.
Mr Bright Tabiri, the Bono Regional Legal Officer of the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), urged parents to protect their children from harm.
He said it was an offence for parents to shirk their responsibility, saying offenders could be prosecuted.
Mr Tabiri expressed worry about the rising trend of cases of child maintenance in the region, and urged parents to provide the basic needs of their children.
GNA
DEN/CA