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Teach children local dialect
Members of the congregation in traditional wear
A wife of the Bishop of the Northern Accra Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana, Mrs Lucia Eyison has admonished African parents to teach their children the local dialect to appreciate their culture rather than the English language.
According to her, teaching the child with the English language was not wrong but doing that at the detriment of the mother tongue deprives the child of his/her cultural values.
Mrs Eyison disclosed this in an interview with The Spectator at the Northern Accra Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana’s Indigenous Ghanaian Day celebration held in Accra, last Sunday.
The day formed part of the church’s fifth anniversary celebration and aimed at promoting Ghanaian culture.
The event attracted 18 circuits in the Dioceses, with members dressed in traditional outfits to represent their various tribes and cultures across the country.
It was a blend of regular service protocols of worship, hymns and praises, along with traditional cultural tunes played with local instruments.
The church complemented the occasion with a sellout of culinary lessons on some traditional Ghanaian delicacies such as ampesi, akple, banku, kenkey, ofam, kpokpoi, fufu, aprapransa, yakayakae, kokonte, waakye and tuo-zaafi at the St John’s Methodist Society, Tantra Hill.
Local beverages such as sobolo, asaana, millet drink were also on display.
Mrs Eyison said learning to speak in the mother tongue was very important for a child’s overall development, saying being fluent in the mother tongue benefits the child by connecting him/her to the culture, ensure better cognitive development and aid in the learning of other languages.
“Language is a unique identity to every ethnic group which makes it the most important aspect of communication to all humans. We should all encourage these young ones to learn, understand and speak their mother tongue so that they can appreciate their culture and project it to the world,” she added.
The Circuit Women’s Fellowship Secretary, Mrs Gloria Asabea whose group represented the Eastern Region said the significance of the event was to educate the youth about Ghanaian culture through their dressing, food and language.
By Vivian Arthur
News
Prof. Mike Oquaye accuses gov’t of ‘secret trial’ of Chief Justice
Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has criticised the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) over what he described as the mishandling of the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo.
He is unhappy with the constitutional provision requiring the hearing of the Chief Justice’s case to be held in-camera.
“I am concerned about certain issues that I consider vital, particularly the trial in-camera provision. You will ask yourself what the rationale is for that provision in our constitution, what is its purpose, and if we are to give it a purposeful interpretation, where shall we go? The purpose is it to benefit the people of Ghana as a whole, that the Chief Justice must be trial in-camera…”
He added, “From the very beginning, the constitution tells us justice belongs to the people, it emanates from the people, justice belongs to all of us people, one may say that this provision could be advarance to the one that says trial must be done in-camera.” he said in an exclusive interview with JoyNews.
Prof. Oquaye also raised concerns about the transparency and integrity of the process.
He argued that the judiciary must be insulated from political interference, adding that the current handling of the matter risks eroding confidence in the rule of law.
The Chief Justice was recently suspended following allegations of misconduct, after which a formal petition was submitted to President John Mahama, prompting the formation of a committee to investigate the matter.
The proceedings, however, have largely been conducted in-camera, drawing criticism from sections of the public and some legal minds.
While the NDC government maintains that the suspension was carried out in accordance with constitutional provisions, Prof. Quaye argues that the secrecy surrounding the process undermines the principles of accountability and due process.
Source:Myjoyonline.com
News
Committee on Roads and Transport engages Transport Ministry
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport has paid a familiarization visit to the Ministry of Transport and its agencies to perform its legislative oversight and foster collaboration in Ghana’s transport sector.
The visit by the 17-member Committee led by its Chairman, Isaac Adjei Mensah, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Wassa East Constituency in the Western Region, was aimed at getting updates on ongoing projects and foster direct dialogue with agencies under the Ministry’s purview.
The Chairman of the committee described the visit as “a strategic and symbolic gesture” and emphasized the importance of direct engagement with sector leadership to enable informed legislative support.
The Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe outlined some reforms including a framework to regularize commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Okada by lowering the minimum rider age from 25 years to 21 years, which is near completion and will soon be presented to Parliament.
He also mentioned the reviving of Ghana’s national carrier via a public-private partnership, upgrading airport infrastructure, studying coastal routes to ease road congestion, opening a new DVLA branch in Adenta, and upgrading the Ghana Civil Aviation Training Academy.
The minister also disclosed that the ministry is in the process of procuring new buses for Metro Mass and STC.
The other Members of the visiting Committee were Chiwitey Dari Andrew, Vice Chairperson and MP for Sawla/Tuna/Kalba; Osei Nyarko Kennedy, MP for Akim Swedru and the Ranking Member; Francis Asenso-Boakye, MP for Bantama; Frimpong Kwame Ohene, MP for Asante Akim North; Cudjoe Doyoe Comfort, Ada MP; Marfo Ahenkorah Kofi, MP for Achiase; Mahama Toure Naser, Ayawaso East MP; Ziedeng Anwataazumo Bede, MP for Lawra and Mubarak Seid, MP for Sunyani East.
The Committee also visited the Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Training Centre to be acquainted with its functions and operations.
