Mrs. Vivian Anafo, the District Chief Executive of the Talensi/Nabdam, has appealed to the chiefs and people of the Sekoti Traditional Area to firmly hold the aspects of culture which were productive to promote economic development.
Mrs. Anafo told the chiefs and people at a durbar that they should avoid certain cultural practices that retarded the progress of the nation.
She said female genital mutilation (FGM), giving out girl children for early marriages and widowhood rites that subjected their victims to inhuman treatment had the potential of derailing development.
Mrs Anafo said the district was blessed with rich cultural values which could be exploited to bring development to the area.
She expressed worry about the influx of foreign values especially the adulteration of music, dance, dressing and language that was eating deep into the fabric of the youth of the country.
“It is true that culture and development have symbolic relationship but this does not mean that we abandon those aspects of our heritage that distinguished us from other people and adopt other people’s culture in the name of modernity and globalization,” she said.
Mrs Anafo said these practices promoted moral degradation among the youth who stayed at night for hours at funerals and public gatherings dancing and playing around to the detriment of their studies.
She said the assembly placed value on tradition, the reason why it collaborated with the chiefs for the development of the district.
”The District Assembly will continue to support the celebration of festivals and other activities that preserve culture and traditions of the people in the district,” Mrs Anafo said.