To preserve the Ghanaian culture, Parliament has deemed it necessary to start using its native tongues when conducting business on the House floor.

A Member of Parliament (MP) may use any of the local languages, subject to interpretation and translation so that everyone may understand it, 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 the Parliament,  Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin announced that the required 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. 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.

The Nzema language is one of the 11 regional languages covered in the curriculum for the basic and senior high school grades, 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 studying 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 calling for the use of local languages in basic schools to promote the languages and provide good knowledge of the various courses. They argued that science classes, including chemistry, ought to be able to be taught in the native tongues, much like the Asia Tigers.

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 allow the Ghana Education Service to adopt the idea of utilizing the language in lower primary or basic education, promote Ghanaian tourism and culture, and take financial considerations into account.