The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has declared that local languages will soon be incorporated into parliamentary discussions.
During the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan, Alban Bagbin highlighted the importance of maintaining Ghana’s cultural identity within national conversations.
He remarked that permitting Members of Parliament to communicate in local languages during sessions is a significant move towards inclusivity and enhanced citizen participation in democratic governance.
“No society progresses using the language of another society. Therefore, we must establish the terminology we are discussing. We desire our language to be audible in the chamber. Thus, we will initiate this process very soon.
“It is included in our standing orders that all MPs may utilize their mother tongue, provided they can effectively translate it into the official language of English,” he stated.
He further mentioned: “Shortly, we will engage specialists in these languages to assist us as translators.”
This is not the first occasion the Speaker has proposed such an initiative. On February 16, 2024, he initially revealed the plan to permit the use of local languages in Parliament, referencing Standing Order 63, which asserts: “Members of Parliament are permitted to use any local language, as long as it is interpreted and translated for the benefit of all.”
