Ditch negative foreign lifestyle – GTA Boss

THE new Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mrs Maame Efua Houadjeto, has strongly condemned the increasing adoption of lifestyles she believes are eroding Ghanaian cultural values.

According to her, some aspects of contemporary lifestyle, such as provocative dressing, risqué music lyrics that glorify immorality and unfiltered media content, threaten the moral fabric of the country and must be consciously shunned.  

Speaking exclusively to Graphic Showbiz on Monday, March 3, Mrs Houadjeto emphasised the need for Ghanaians to fully embrace their cultural heritage and reject influences that do not align with traditional values. 

She called on media outlets to be more responsible in the kind of content they feed their audience and similarly urged them to prioritise materials that reflect and uphold Ghanaian traditions. 

She also challenged musicians, filmmakers and content creators to exercise greater discretion in their work, ensuring that their output does not promote behaviours that contradict the country’s moral and cultural principles.

“I believe we have adopted too much of the Western style, and this time round, while we go to our grandparents, while we go to our nananom, while we go to our queenmothers to support them and advocate what we intend to do for the industry, we must also be intentional about streamlining the kind of content we put out.  

“I think it’s important we also look at how we dress and the kind of lifestyle we have copied that is not Ghanaian. The industry is broad, it’s huge. So we’ll take it a step at a time. I believe with that, we will go a long way to support the industry and make gains by embracing our roots.

“The media has a huge influence on the minds of our youth, and if we keep glorifying inappropriate dressing, reckless utterances and music that lack moral depth, we risk losing our identity as a people. It is time for us to celebrate what is truly Ghanaian and be proud of our heritage,” she added. 

According to her, stakeholders must take deliberate steps to reinforce the country’s cultural identity and ensure that younger generations grow up with values that reflect Ghana’s rich traditions.

Source: Edith Mensah