By
Julius K. Satsi, GNA
Accra, Jan.16, GNA –
Transforming the nation requires change in beliefs, values and attitudes,
without which Ghana Beyond Aid will become a mirage, Professor Kofi Agyekum,
Acting Dean, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, has said.
He said there must
be behavioural and attitudinal change in line with beliefs, values and norms of
the African, embarking on critical thinking but not skewing transformation only
in line with the Western form of attitudinal change.
Prof Agyekum said
Ghana Beyond Aid would demand that Ghanaians adopt the attitude of critical
thinking and that there was the need for the youth to embrace such skills to
help put in it perspective.
He was speaking
during a panel discussion on the topic: “Behaviour and Attitudinal Change in
support of the Ghana Beyond Aid” as part of the 71st Annual New Year
School and Conference (ANYSC).
The ANYSC, which was
introduced in 1948 by the School of Continuing and Distance Education of the
College of Education, University of Ghana, aims at bringing together people
from all walks of life to deliberate on topical issues of national and
international interest with speakers drawn from both academia and industry.
The three-day event
is being held on the theme: “Attaining Ghana Beyond Aid: Prospects and
Challenges”.
He said there was
the need for a mental revolution that would lead to the change in attitudes of
the citizenry, embracing the indigenous language and culture, which has the
potential to help individuals to better appreciate and understand concepts.
He said there was
the need for a holistic and overhauled education system and that there was the
need for everyone to use the mother tongue because “the mother tongue is the
cognitive tool that enlightens a child.
“Because of concept
formation that comes with mother tongue, if you neglect it, it goes against …
linguistic human rights,” Prof Agyekum added.
He said human tends
to understand things better when expressed in languages that they feel
comfortable and this case, the mother tongue.
He said language and
culture should immerse into agriculture development because most of the terms
and methods used in the agriculture sector would be better understood in the
language that the people understand.
Prof Agyekum said
all agriculture scientists’ research findings are in the colonial languages
meanwhile most of the people involved in farming currently did not understand
such languages hence the need to also render them into languages that the
farmers could understand.
He said the Ghana
Beyond Aid agenda should ensure that children were properly brought up to fit
into society through relevant education, which aims at bringing up children to
fit into the Ghanaian society.
Archbishop Gabriel
Palmer-Buckle, the Archbishop of Cape Coast Diocese of the Catholic Church said
for Ghana Beyond Aid to become a reality, there was the need for all citizens
to liberate themselves from mental slavery of all forms.
He said: “I do
believe in Ghana Beyond Aid and I would like to contribute all that I can as a
Ghanaian and as a clergy man towards achieving it and as soon as possible”.
Quoting the parable
of the talents in the Bible, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said all the endowment in
the form of natural resources that the Almighty God has blessed the nation with
would be accounted for as the citizenry had become stewards of them.
He said the agenda
of Ghana Beyond Aid called for radical change of mindset thus the attitudes and
behaviours in line with Christian values.
The Ghana Beyond Aid
agenda is a bold pronouncement made by President Akufo-Addo, when he took over
the helm of affairs towards creating a nation that would be self-sufficient and
prosperous through prudent management of resources, governed according to the
rule of law, promoting respect for human rights and principles of democratic
accountability.
GNA