Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thursday said the report on extinction of some African Languages within a century should be a source of worry to all.
He said language was the embodiment of a people’s culture and identity hence African’s should be concerned over the extinction of some of its languages spoken by smaller communities.
Mr Ablakwa said this at a flag raising ceremony in commemoration of the 55th Anniversary of International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) in Accra.
The OIF is an organisation, which comprised 93 member states and governments with a mission to promote the French Language, cultural and linguistic diversity, peace, and democracy, among other things.
Mr Ablakwa said Africa was a hub of linguistic and cultural wealth, accounting for approximately one-third of the world’s languages.
“However, the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger estimates that up to 10 per cent of African languages, particularly those spoken by small communities, could disappear within a century. This must be a source of worry for all of us,” he said.
He, therefore, called on governments across Africa to consciously promote multilingualism, including indigenous languages, as a tool for unity, peace, and sustainable development.
Promoting multiligualism would foster social cohesion, inclusivity and sustainable development.
He reiterated the Government’s commitment to institutionalising and promoting the use of first languages as the medium of teaching and learning in the early years of education and care in Ghana.
“We will, in addition, incorporate indigenous knowledge, traditions, and stories into teaching and learning materials to make learning more meaningful for our children,” Mr Ablakwa said.
“We are convinced that this is one of the surest ways of preserving our indigenous languages and culture while maximising educational outcomes among our learners,” he indicated.
GNA
