Pognaa Rosemary Bangzie Mumwillima I, the Queenmother of Duong in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, has called for deliberate and sustained investment in the development of the girl child to shape a future of hope for Ghana.
She emphasised that empowering the girl child involved giving her a voice and actively engaging her in decision-making processes, especially at the family level, where socialisation begins.
“Empowering young girls begins at home, the first place where values are formed, confidence is built, and dreams are nurtured”, she stated.
Pognaa Mumwillima made the call at Duong during the climax of the 2026 Mumwillee Pog-Yaaree Homecoming held at the weekend on the theme: “Celebrating Our Aged and Empowering the Young Girls at Home.”
The two-day event, led by Pognaa Mumwillima in partnership with the Bliss Eye Care, Care Diagnostics Services and the Member of Parliament for the area, brought together the chiefs and people of the area and some queenmothers in the region.
The celebration witnessed the spectacular performance of indigenous forms of entertainment such as the “N saa waale dabirekayaala and Saa wong samanbo” by the Mumwillee Pog-Yaari Mother-to-Mother group.
Pognaa Mumwillima underscored the importance of education in transforming the lives of girls and empowering them to contribute meaningfully to their communities’ development.
She, therefore, urged parents and guardians to prioritise the education of their girl children to enable them to nurture their dreams and achieve their ambitions.
“We must prioritise sending our girls to school, supporting their learning, and motivating them to pursue their ambitions.
An educated girl becomes an empowered woman who contributes meaningfully to our family and society”, the Queenmother explained.
The revered traditional leaders also reiterated the need to protect girls from harmful practices and abuse, including early marriage, which disrupts the realisation of their dreams.
Pognaa Mumwillima also emphasised the need for stronger intergenerational linkages, noting that the aged in the community possessed valuable knowledge that could benefit younger generations.
“Our aged mothers and parents gathered here today have a wealth of wisdom, and by connecting them with our young girls, we pass on knowledge, culture, and strength from one generation to another”, she explained.
As part of the celebration, over 3,000 aged persons benefited from a free comprehensive health screening – blood pressure, blood sugar, oral health, haemoglobin checks, eye screening, general medical consultation, and personal hygiene.
They were also gifted with cloth materials and dresses as a gesture of appreciation for their immeasurable impact on the younger generation.
Mr Francis Dakura, an Assistant Headmaster at the Lassia-Tuolu Senior High School, who chaired the celebration, commended the Queenmother for the initiative and said it was a call to reawaken the younger generation to honour the aged.
He said it would also rekindle the virtually extinct indigenous forms of entertainment that bind the communities, especially the youth.