Ghana Standardises 5 Local Languages as Government Steps Up Language Preservation
The number of Ghanaian languages with standardised orthographies has increased from 11 to 16, as the government intensifies efforts to preserve indigenous languages and promote their use in education.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, announced the development during the Government Accountability Series on Monday, August 10, 2026.
She said the Bureau of Ghana Languages (BGL) had made significant progress in standardising and promoting local languages, paving the way for the production of reading and teaching materials for schools.
According to the Minister, three additional languages have recently received standardised orthographies following the launch of the orthography for Ahanta.
The newly standardised languages are Kusau, spoken by the Kusasi people in the Upper East Region; Likpakpal, spoken by the Dagomba people; and Sisala, spoken by the Sisala people.
Ms Gomashie disclosed that the government intends to standardise three more Ghanaian languages before the end of 2026, further expanding the number of indigenous languages with formal writing systems.
She said the initiative is aimed not only at documenting local languages but also at encouraging Ghanaians to speak, preserve and pass them on to future generations.
The Minister noted that the BGL organised the Ghana Languages Dialogue in November last year, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for promoting indigenous languages and raising public awareness about their cultural importance.
She explained that standardising the languages would make it easier to develop textbooks, storybooks and other educational resources for use in schools.
Ms Gomashie also highlighted the collaboration between her Ministry, the Bureau of Ghana Languages and Ahanta West MP Mavis Kuukua Bissue in launching the Ahanta orthography, describing it as an important step towards producing educational materials in the language.
The government is also using cultural programmes to promote language preservation and transmission, including the Ghana Languages Festival, which was held in July 2025.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the Bureau of Ghana Languages and fulfil the government’s commitment to preserving Ghana’s linguistic heritage while integrating indigenous languages more effectively into education and cultural development.
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