Govt Increases Standardised Ghanaian Languages To 16

Abla Dzifa Gomashie

 

The government has increased the number of Ghanaian languages with standardised orthographies from 11 to 16, as part of efforts to preserve indigenous languages and produce more reading materials for schools.

Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, announced this at the Government Accountability Series in Accra yesterday.

According to her, the Bureau of Ghana Languages (BGL) has made significant progress under the government’s commitment to restructure and strengthen the institution.

Following the recent launch of the Ahanta orthography, three more languages have now been standardised: Kusau, spoken by the Kusasi people in the Upper East Region; Likpakpal, spoken by the Dagomba people; and Sisala, spoken by the Sisala people.

Madam Gomashie added that the government plans to standardise three additional Ghanaian languages before the end of 2026.

She noted that in November 2025, the BGL held the Ghana Languages Dialogue with key stakeholders to promote the speaking and preservation of local languages, and to raise awareness about their importance. The goal, she said, is to develop standardised languages into textbooks and learning materials for use in schools.

The Ministry, in partnership with the BGL and Ahanta West Member of Parliament (MP), Mavis Kuukua Bissue, also launched the Ahanta orthography to support educational material production in the language.

Other initiatives include the Ghana Languages Festival, held in July 2025, which used cultural activities to encourage the transmission of Ghanaian languages to younger generations.

 

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