Editorial
Let’s continue to promote our mother tongue
Dear Editor,
Somewhere last week, the United Nations International Mother Language Day was observed. The commemoration held in February 21 every year is to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism.
Since 2000, the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has fulfilled its mandate to use the day to promote indigenous languages.
Language users observe this day by paying attention to the mother tongue or first language for its crucial, diverse role in communication, education and cultural and linguistic diversity for harmonious co-existence.
UNESCO advocates teaching children in the mother tongue or first language since they grasp content better in the home language.
Following the ceremony and other calls to action, I believe it would be prudent for Ghanaians to use the local languages as part of teaching and learning instruction in classrooms, especially for young people.
Apart from English Language, parents must do well to inculcate the habit of communicating with their wards in their local languages as it would give them the opportunity to understand and apply our indigenous languages.
On the other hand, teachers must refrain from ‘restraining’ students from speaking their mother tongue, popularly known as ‘vernacular’. They should rather encourage them to converse freely in their local languages aside giving attention to English, French and other languages.
The use of local and international languages, if combined effectively, would go a long way to help pupil grasp what is being taught in class quicker and contribute to overall academic performance in schools.
By Yunusah Essandoh,
La-Accra.
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this esteemed platform to urge the traditional councils of Osu and La to call for independent investigation into the recent demolition exercise at Kaajaano.
The exercise rendered hundreds homeless.
Information about the reason for the demolition has been scanty with those desiring to know feeding heavily on social media posts.
One particular name –Jato, has been associated with it but under whose instruction the exercise was carried is also not known.
Sadly, instead of getting to know who ordered the demolition and for what reasons, traditional authorities of Osu and La have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over ownership of the said land.
This is premature. At this moment, they should call for investigation into the exercise to know the people behind it.
When that is done, then discussions about the owners of the site can begin. That would end the posture of the two neighbouring town which has the potential to turn into something else.
Ataa Osa Mensah,
Osu
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your respected platform to draw the attention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to the behaviour of traders and some drivers about the use of lower denomination coins, specifically the 20 and 10 pesewas.
About two weeks ago, I read in your sister newspaper, The Ghanaian Times about this problem and the caution that followed from the BoG and some economic analysts.
The warning they gave was that the continuous rejection of the notes could create pricing problems which can eventually affect inflation.
I thought that would put to bed that practice or refusal to accept the coins when given out as change or use to pay for particular service.
Unfortunately, the problem still persist among traders, drivers, customers and passengers alike. Only last week, there was as altercation in the Accra Central area where a woman refused to accept five 20 pesewas note totaling one cedi.
As the argument continued, the trader decided not to sell to the customer again after by-standers explained to her that it was still a legal tender and those that refused it could become offenders.
This is an issue the BoG and other regulatory agencies must go and explain to the people and let them know that it is unlawful not to accept a currency that is still in use.
It nothing was done, it could create a much more serious problems.
Mary Osei Badu,
Swedru
