Former Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Rtd. Joseph Nunoo-Mensah, has called for students who assault teachers to be jailed, citing a lack of discipline and strong upbringing as Ghana’s biggest problem. According to GHOne News, the 86-year-old retired general believes society in the past played a major role in shaping children into responsible adults, but this is no longer the case.
Speaking on The KSM Show, Nunoo-Mensah attributed Ghana’s challenges to lost discipline and soft parenting, saying that in the past, teachers and elders were strict and committed to leading by example. “In those days, society managed us. Everybody believed it was their duty to correct you,” he said.
The former military officer placed responsibility squarely on his generation for making life too easy for their children, saying that in trying to spare their offspring from hardship, parents inadvertently weakened their resilience and moral foundation. “We went through hell. We didn’t want our children to suffer like us, so we made things soft. That was wrong,” he said.
Nunoo-Mensah also criticized modern leadership for focusing on luxury instead of service, saying leaders today care too much about material things and too little about society. He cited the example of teachers facing legal consequences for disciplining students, saying “Today, if a teacher disciplines a child, the parent will take him to court. Things are getting worse, not better”.
The retired general’s comments reflect longstanding concerns he has voiced about Ghana’s trajectory, and come at a time when debates about parenting methods, educational standards, and governance ethics dominate public discourse in Ghana.
Call or WhatsApp +233 20 2190 250 and share your story.
Author: Korkor Anumu
