The research indicated a decline in the language usage and transmission to younger generations as the current and older generations stuck to Fante and English.
Besides, there are limited opportunities for its use in formal settings.
Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources at the launch of Ahanta Language Renaissance Project lauded the initiative by the Member of Parliament for Ahanta West Municipality to revive the language and also make it an area of study in schools.
The Ahanta Language Renaissance Project spearheaded by Madam Kukua Bissue would bring together various sector Ministries, academia, Chiefs and key stakeholders to lay the foundation for the language to become a recognised official Ghanaian language.
Mr. Buah said language was relevant instrument of identity, promoting cultural cohesion and unity of purpose.
The Ahanta language is not widely used in formal settings like education or government, further hindering its transmission to new speakers.
Social and economic factors, such as migration and urbanization, was also leading to language shift as individuals and communities adapted to new environments and dominant languages.
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister thus made a commitment to support the training of 40 individuals to be trained to further that course.
Professor Samuel Alhassan Issah of the Linguistics and Indigenous Language Department of the University of Education Winneba, alluded to Chinua Achebe’s assertion on the power of knowing one’s own indigenous language as against 1000s of international or other languages and praised the MP for the bold step to live a generational legacy.
He said minority language revitalization Projects often suffered interference from parties and even traditional settings and encouraged all political colours and factions in the chieftaincy regime to support in nurturing the dream of Ahanta language to a higher pedestal.
Professor Issah was full of admiration for the pioneering works of Reverend Dr. Ntumy for developing the autography which would become a good material to build on.
“Languages were integral to cultural identity and heritage, and their loss could erode a community’s sense of self”.
Meanwhile, Studies show that learning and using one’s mother tongue could have positive impacts on cognitive development and academic performance.
Madam Kukua Bissue, the first female MP for the Ahantaland, said the project was not just a campaign promise but a legacy for posterity to be proud of this generation.
Already, the committee constituted for the project had consulted extensively enabling the pilot phase with 20 teachers to take off soon.
Madam Bissue said, “mainstreaming the Ahanta Language into the formal education system was also a constitutional rights that the people of Ahanta were exercising to promote and advance their identity, development and cohesion.”
Nana Eziaku IV, Divisional Chief of Agona and Acting President of Ahanta traditional council, pledged their support to make the project a reality.
GNA
