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Speak local dialect with wards-parents advised
Mr Peter Marfo addressing participants at the Nyansapo Afehye held in Koforidua
The Acting Director of the Centre for National Culture(CNC) in the Eastern region, Mr Peter Kofi Marfo has called on parents to teach and speak the local dialect with their children as it gives them solid foundation and proper identity.
According to him, many parents in the country have abandoned their local languages and rather speak English language with their wards at home.
“The main ethnic identity is the native language teaching the children the local language and speaking with them at home would enable them identify themselves as Ghanaians become good learners of other languages, he disclosed.
Mr Marfo was speaking at this year’s Nyansapͻ Afahyε Festival and competition organised by the CNC in Koforidua on the theme: “The Mother Tongue, a solid foundation that can influence the state cultural value.”
Several schools in Koforidua including King of Kings School,Samplex Education Complex, Aspire Educational Institute, Laders International School, Aggrey Development Centre, Lizben Educational Complex, Brentford International Academy, and South Harbour Christian Academy participated in the festival and competition sponsored by P&F Ventures gold store operators and Kwaku Okyere Company Limited, producers of drinks.
The pupils as part of the festival and competition recited poems in the local dialects used proverbs, idiomatic expressions and identified some Adinkra symbols.
“The local language ensures the preservation of our distinct cultural values and heritage hence we should endeavour to teach and speak the local languages with our children,” he said.
He noted that some parents spoke the English language with their wards for fear that their wards would not be academically good however, he stated that children who were first taught in the local dialects become better learners.
For her part, the Municipal Cultural Officer at the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly, Madam Agnes Nyarko has called on heads of schools, especially private schools to make it an option for pupils to speak their local dialect during recreational periods.
She said the mother tongue was the fundamental way to influence the youth to cherish and understand the good morals of the country and hence appealed to parents and heads of educational institutions to allow the children to speak the local dialects to enable them express themselvesbetter.
At the end of the competition and festival, Aggrey Development School emerged first, Aspire Educational Complex took the second position and Samplex Educational Complex took third position.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
