The Influence of Western Culture on Ghanaian Traditional Costumes: A Study of Selected Traditional Areas in the Volta Region of Ghana

The study assessed the influence of Western culture on traditional costumes in the Volta Region. The descriptive design was employed using one hundred and fifty respondents, with thirty (30) selected from each of the five (5) selected traditional areas for data collection. Questionnaires were the primary data collection instrument administered to the respondents through purposive sampling. The results saw the respondents affirming education, tourism, trade, religion and politics as the main dimensions through which the Western Culture had influenced the traditional costumes in the Volta Region. Out of the religious groups, the respondents who belong to the Islamic religion came first as the most affected religion regarding their ways of dressing. It was recommended that efforts be made to re-engineer the expertise that existed in weaving traditional costumes in the Volta Region and Ghana at large, as this will go a long way to boost the Government efforts in job creation and create avenues for the citizens to be engaged in self-employment activity that will reduce the volume of unemployment and the high demand for hard currency to import foreign clothes.