The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), through a collaborative partnership between the Otumfuo Centre for Traditional Leadership (OCTL) and the Research and Consultancy Centre (RCC), is supporting a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)-backed national research audit aimed at documenting cultural norms and practices across Ghana, strengthening cultural heritage preservation while generating evidence to inform policy, education, and national development conversations.
At the heart of the initiative is a timely concern: many cultural norms, values, and community practices are transmitted largely through oral traditions, leaving them vulnerable to gradual erosion, misinterpretation, or loss over time, particularly as generational shifts and social change accelerate.
One of such engagements took place on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, at the Ga Traditional Council in Accra. The UPSA team was received by a host delegation led by Nii Ahene Nunoo III, Paramount Chief of Abola and Head of the King’s Estate, with Asafoiatse Captain Nseni Mankattah, Head of GaDangme Asafoiatsemɛi, and Nii Kwardey Ntreh, Chief Poet to the King, also present.
As part of the visit, an interview session was held with Nii Kwardey Ntreh to capture perspectives rooted in tradition and cultural memory, insights that help ensure the research reflects authentic community contexts while supporting national dialogue on cultural continuity and responsible cultural refinement.
Reflecting on the engagement, Dr. Joseph Gerald Tetteh Nyanyofio, Director of the Otumfuo Centre for Traditional Leadership and leader of the UPSA delegation, said the visit formed part of the project’s stakeholder engagements to learn from the custodians of our culture and to ensure the research remains firmly grounded in community realities. He noted that the reception by the traditional leaders provided the depth and clarity the team required, adding that the delegation left satisfied that the engagement had met its expectations and would significantly strengthen the quality and credibility of the study.
The research is being led by Prof. Alexander Preko, Director of UPSA’s Research and Consultancy Centre, and Ms. Beatrice Bawuah from the Otumfuo Centre for Traditional Leadership. The study is expected to document cultural norms, assess their implications, including the consequences of harmful practices, and highlight positive cultural assets that contribute to social cohesion, community resilience, and national progress.
For UPSA, the project reinforces the University’s broader commitment to producing research that is nationally relevant. As field engagements continue, the project is expected to culminate in a comprehensive documentation resource that supports evidence-based policy and community action.
In doing so, UPSA continues to demonstrate how university-led research can preserve Ghana’s cultural heritage while advancing national development priorities, working with traditional authorities and global partners to ensure that culture is not only celebrated, but responsibly carried forward.
