Kwakuanya (B/R), June 10, GNA – The Bono Regional Directorate of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) has intensified the COVID-19 campaign in cocoa growing communities with art and theatre.
According to Mrs Helen Akanbong, the Regional Director of the CNC, drumming, the use of drum language, songs and drama remained a key and effective communication tools to reach out to the indigenous people.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side-lines of separate community durbars held at Kwakuanya, Diabaa and Krakrom, cocoa growing communities in the Dormaa West District of the Bono Region, Mrs Akanbong underlined the need to devise alternative strategies to help the illiterate masses to understand the COVID-19 dynamics.
The CNC with support from Care International, an NGO organised the durbars to sensitize the communities on the COVID-19 to propel them to adhere to health and safety protocols and government restrictions to prevent community outbreak of the disease.
Mrs Akanbong regretted that many people in the Dormaa West District were still not obeying the health and safety protocols, especially the wearing of nose masks or face shields, a situation which could trigger the spread of the disease in the area.
“Many people in these communities still habour wrong perceptions about the existence of the COVID-19. We have a lot to do there to change people’s mind set on the myths surrounding the disease so that we can make a headway to prevent its spread”, she said.
Culture and tradition, Mrs Akanbong explained, were the way and life of the people, noting effective use of culture could significantly impact the people in changing their mindset and attitude.
Mr Samuel Twene, the Dormaa West District Director of Health Services said the District had recorded 36 cases of the COVID-19, noting no death had been recorded, but it would be disastrous if the people continued to disregard health and safety protocols.
He, therefore, advised the people to endeavour to wear nose masks, wash their hands with soap under running water, observe social distancing and avoid hand shakes.
At Diabaa, Nana Kwasi Frimpong, the ‘Kurontirehene’ of the town, commended the CNC and expressed the hope the Centre would extend and intensify the campaign in surrounding villages.
The Centre later distributed 1,000 pieces of nose masks and 200 alcohol-based hand sanitizers to the people.
GNA