Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has revealed that Members of Parliament (MPs) will soon be permitted to use local Ghanaian languages during parliamentary debates.
This initiative aims to promote Ghana’s cultural identity and make legislative proceedings more inclusive and accessible.
Speaking at the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan, the Speaker highlighted the importance of language in national development and democratic participation.
“No society develops with the language of another society. We want our language to be heard on the floor. So, we are going to start very soon,” Mr. Bagbin stated.
He explained that Parliament’s Standing Orders already allow MPs to use their native tongues as long as they provide an English translation.
“It is captured in our standing orders for all MPs to use their mother tongue, provided they can symphoniously translate into the official language of English,” he added.
To facilitate this change, the Speaker announced plans to recruit language experts and interpreters who will offer real-time translations during debates.
“Very soon, we will employ experts in these languages to come and support us as translators,” he confirmed.
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