The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called for urgent national reflection on what she describes as the growing culture of indiscipline in Ghanaian society.
In a Facebook post shared on February 24, 2026, the minister expressed deep concern about what she believes is a widespread breakdown in discipline across homes, schools, and other sectors of society. According to her, the root cause of the problem lies primarily in poor parenting and the continued tolerance of unacceptable behaviour.
Gomashie stressed that the responsibility for instilling discipline begins at home. She argued that schools, though critical to a child’s development, cannot replace the role of parents in shaping character and values. “It is the role of parents to mould their children. Schools should only add to the foundation parents give,” she stated, adding that parents ultimately become the beneficiaries of how their wards are raised.
While acknowledging the challenges faced by educational institutions, she cautioned against ignoring the immense pressure schools are currently under. She noted that many schools are overwhelmed and cannot shoulder the full burden of moral upbringing. According to her, denying this reality would hinder efforts to find lasting solutions to the issue of indiscipline.
The minister also criticised what she described as the adoption of policies tied to grants and funding without proper consideration of Ghana’s cultural values. She suggested that embracing external frameworks without adapting them to local traditions may inadvertently weaken long-standing moral systems. “We had no business adopting all manner of policies that come with grants without considering our cultural values,” she remarked.
Central to her message was the importance of consequences. Gomashie emphasised that discipline cannot thrive in an environment where bad behaviour goes unpunished or is indirectly rewarded. “There must be consequences for bad behaviour. You cannot be rewarding bad behaviour and expect well-behaved children or adults,” she stated.
Sharing a personal reflection, the lawmaker recounted her upbringing under her late father, who lived to the age of 106. She explained that although he never relied on physical punishment, he maintained clear rules and firm boundaries. Good behaviour was rewarded, while misconduct attracted appropriate consequences — a system she believes instilled strong values and responsibility in his children.
Gomashie further noted that indiscipline is not limited to homes or schools but is visible across various sectors, including religion, politics, economics, and broader social life. She argued that children often mirror what they observe in society and test the limits of what they can get away with. “The bad behaviour of children is due to what they see and what they know they can get away with. Monkey see, monkey do,” she said.
Concluding her remarks, Dzifa Gomashie called for bold and decisive action to restore accountability at all levels of society. She urged leaders, parents, and citizens alike to confront the issue directly and work collectively to rebuild a culture grounded in responsibility, respect, and discipline.
