The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon S.K Bagbin has urged for immediate collective action to eliminate all types of language barriers that have hindered socioeconomic development within the West African sub-region over the years.
He noted that while the linguistic diversity of West Africa enriches its culture, it frequently presents challenges to effective communication and collaboration among member states.
“Language should be a bridge, not a barrier, “he emphasized.
The Speaker issued this call during a courtesy visit to Parliament by the Heads of the National Boundary Commissions of West Africa, led by Major General Emmanuel Kotia, Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission.
The visit was part of their inaugural meeting in Accra, aimed at establishing mechanisms for enhanced coordination between national and regional entities to improve border governance strategies within the ECOWAS Region.
Speaker Bagbin also emphasized the inaccurate portrayal of Africa’s size and the sizes of its countries, some of which are larger than Europe. Correcting these misrepresentations would project the continent more accurately.
Accordingly, Speaker Bagbin viewed the meeting of the Heads of National Boundary Commissions of West Africa as crucial in addressing these challenges. He called for expanded collaboration and partnerships in this regard.
The Rt. Hon. Speaker assured the Commission of Parliament’s full support, especially in legislating to facilitate the effective work of the commission.
