Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has announced that Members of Parliament (MPs) will soon be allowed to use local Ghanaian languages during parliamentary debates — a move aimed at promoting cultural identity and enhancing inclusivity in legislative proceedings.
The announcement was made during the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan, where the Speaker emphasized the pivotal role of language in national development and democratic participation.
“No society develops with the language of another society,” Mr. Bagbin remarked. “We want our language to be heard on the floor. So, we are going to start very soon.”
He noted that Parliament’s current Standing Orders already permit MPs to speak in their mother tongues, provided they can offer accurate translations in English — the official language of the House.
“It is captured in our Standing Orders for MPs to use their mother tongue, as long as they can symphoniously translate into English,” he explained.
To support this initiative, the Speaker announced that Parliament will soon recruit professional interpreters and language experts to provide real-time translations during debates.
“Very soon, we will employ experts in these languages to come and support us as translators,” he stated.
