Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the minister for Ghana’s Foreign Affairs has made known the country’s recent decision to take on French as a second language in order to create more diverse ways of communication and further enhance relations between Ghana and its neighbouring countries across the border.
The representative for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor generally confirmed the addition of the new language at the opening session of the 2019 La Francophonie week held at the Alliance Francaise, where she also stated that the country is ready to make alterations to its current educational system so as to make room for the smooth inculcation of the teaching and learning of French in the basic schools.
The minister said; “We believe that the extensive teaching and learning of French will inure to the benefit of Ghana as we are bordered by three Francophone countries namely; Togo, Burkina Faso and La Cote d’ Ivoire.”
Since joining the La Francophonie in 2006, Ghana is taking steps to improve its associate membership by taking into utmost precedence its interest in becoming a full member of the La Francophonie. This motion will very soon be put in place seeing as the Minister has made clear how significant the French language is considered extremely necessary for Ghana as an Anglophone country to partner up on all stages cooperate with its francophone neighbours.
Whilst 2018 saw the signing of the Linguistic Pact for improved technical support and capacity building for the teaching and learning of French between Ghana and the La Francophonie, the honorable minister has confirmed that it was a positive budge in the right direction which began a chronological process intended at improving regional integration through the development of the French language across the county.
Directly taking the opportunity to strengthen the spot of the Presidency, the minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has reiterated the desire of his Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo to fully be part of the association through the government’s strapping contribution during this year’s celebrations of the La Francophonie week.
“To that end, the president has appointed a presidential Staffer and French scholar Dr Stephen Adawen Syme, as the Focal person for the coordination of La Francophonie activities in Ghana to ensure a seamless transition” said Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, also as a way of remembering the President’s valiant dedication at the last Summit of the La Francophonie held in Erevan Armenia in last year October to the organization.
DOLPHINE ADJISAM
