Give prominence to local languages - Catherine Afeku

Ths Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku, has called for local languages to be given prominence on the occasion of International Mother Language Day. 

Speaking at a stakeholders event in Accra, the Minister, said although English is the official language of the country, the local languages cannot be allowed to go extinct.  

The stakeholders concluded that all 59 local languages spoken must be accorded equal importance.  

Those were excerpts from a drama display to drum home the importance of the mother tongue.

The current language policy of Ghana is that approved Ghanaian languages, are used as medium of instruction at the basic level. 

English language is studied as a subject to prepare pupils for the use of the English language as a medium of instruction from class 4. 

The Bureau of Ghana Languages, the institution mandated to implement this policy has translated 11 of the indigenous languages which are studied in schools. 

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku charged the Bureau to digitalise the 11 languages taught in schools.

She encouraged Ghanaians to make practicable the essence of the Day.

A retired Professor of the University of Ghana and first Director of the Center for Languages, Prof Gilbert Ansre gave a breakdown of the language structure in the country.

Speakers at the event were hopeful that the Bureau of Ghana Languages, now under the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture will implement the language policy to the letter. 

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