The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has met representatives of the Sisaala, Kokomba and Kusasi ethnic groups as part of efforts to preserve and promote indigenous Ghanaian languages.
The meeting, which also involved the Director of the Bureau of Ghana Languages, Ebenezer Ahiator Esq, focused on planning activities to mark what the Minister described as a milestone achievement in the preservation of the three languages.
According to Madam Gomashie, the languages include Sisaali, spoken by the Sisaala people, Likpakpaanl, spoken by the Kokomba people, and Kusor, spoken by the Kusasi people.
She disclosed that the completed works in collaboration with the groups would soon be officially unveiled, similar to earlier initiatives undertaken for the Ahanta language.
The Minister stressed the importance of preserving local languages, noting that they remain central to protecting the culture, traditions and identity of Ghanaian communities.
She referenced Ghana’s ratification of the Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2015 through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts with support from Parliament, explaining that the convention seeks to preserve oral traditions, performing arts, craftsmanship and other forms of inherited cultural expression.
Madam Gomashie also highlighted the significance of International Mother Language Day, celebrated annually in February by the United Nations, to promote linguistic diversity, inclusion and cultural preservation.
She noted that the Bureau of Ghana Languages continues to play a critical role in safeguarding and promoting indigenous languages across the country.
