Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has announced that local languages will soon be introduced during parliamentary deliberations.
Speaking at the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan, Alban Bagbin emphasised the need to preserve Ghana’s cultural identity in national discourse.
He noted that allowing MPs to speak local languages on the floor of Parliament is a step toward inclusivity and deeper citizen engagement in democratic governance.
“No society develops with the language of another society. So, we have to get that terminology we are talking about in place. We want our language to be heard on the floor. So, we are going to start very soon.
“It is captured in our standing orders for all MPs to use their mother tongue, so long as they can symphoniously translate into the official language of English,” he said.
He added: “Very soon, we will employ experts in these languages to come and support us as translators.”
This is not the first time the Speaker has made such a proposal. On February 16, 2024, he first announced the intention to allow local language use in Parliament, citing Standing Order 63, which states: “Members of Parliament will be free to use any local language, as long as it is interpreted and translated for the benefit of all.”
