Parliament to Use Local Languages

To preserve and advance Ghanaian culture, Parliament should start using its native tongues when conducting business on the House floor.

A Member of Parliament (MP) may utilise any of the local languages, subject to interpretation and translation to everyone’s understanding, according to Order 63 of the revised Standing Orders.

That is anticipated to begin during the Eighth Parliament’s second meeting of its fourth session.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, announced that all essential equipment, including translators, will be set up to ensure a successful takeoff.

So the new measure will go into effect after Easter, barring any hiccups.

The Remark and contributions

When Second Deputy Minority Leader Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah made a statement yesterday on the floor of Parliament advocating for the preservation and advancement of the Nzema language, the question of the usage of indigenous languages came up.

Nzema is one of the 11 local languages covered in the curriculum for the basic and senior high school levels, according to Mr. Buah, who is also the National Democratic Congress MP for Ellembele in the Western Region.

Regretfully, there is cause for concern since interest in teaching and learning the language in our educational institutions is sharply declining, even though the language is at a very high level of growth.

Members responded to this by contributing, and they all asked for the use of local languages in basic schools in order to promote the languages and provide good knowledge of the various disciplines.

They argued that science classes, including chemistry, ought to be able to be taught in the native tongues, much like the Asia Tigers.

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The Guide in speaking local language

The Speaker then ordered that the statement be referred for a decision to be made to the committees on education, culture, tourism, and finance.

The referral is intended to give the Ghana Education Service the opportunity to adopt the idea of utilising the language in lower primary or basic education, promote Ghanaian tourism and culture, and take financial considerations into account.

In Remembrance

On February 6, 2024, Parliament met again and started enforcing the new Standing Orders, which included a daily roll call of members and the recitation of the national promise.

The previous Standing Orders, which were in force since 2006, have been replaced with the current ones.

The purpose of the roll call, which was recorded in order 14, is to increase the credibility of the attendance list and dispel any questions about who was in the chamber—especially during critical voting times.

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The new Standing Order also aims to maintain discipline and foster a sense of obligation towards the electorate that elected the MPs.

On the opposite side, the national vow is said to foster love and patriotism for the nation.

The Speaker declared that the signing of the attendance registers in the chamber and by the committees remained unaffected by the oral roll call.