French to become Ghana’s 2nd language – Foreign Affairs Ministry

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has confirmed that Ghana is set to adopt French as a second language.

Although currently an Anglophone country, the Ghana government has decided to adopt French its second official language.

Speaking at the opening session of the 2019 La Francophonie week, Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said Ghana’s education sector will be reformed to inculcate the learning of French.

According to her, this will be done through the promotion of the learning of French in basic schools and across all other levels.

She, however, lamented the limited learning and teaching materials, as well as the inadequate number of French teachers in the country. “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,” the Minister said.

In 2018, Ghana signed the Linguistic Pact with La Francophonie for improved technical support and capacity building for the teaching and learning of French.

Mrs. Ayorkor Botchwey said making French a second language in Ghana would go a long way to improve regional integration, especially with the country having French-speaking neighbours.

She added that President Akufo-Addo aims to prioritise the French language in Ghana by making the country a full Member of La Francophonie.

Currently, Ghana is an Associate Member of La Francophonie, having joined in 2006.