Government Directs Officials To Learn French

The government has directed all government officials to compulsorily take French lessons. Vice-President Aliu Mahama said the directive was part of the government's plans to make French a common language for as many Ghanaians as possible to enhance economic, commercial and social activities between Ghana and its neighbours.

Consequently, he asked those who were privileged to be studying the French language in schools to take the subject seriously because of the numerous advantages associated with knowing, understanding and speaking it.

Alhaji Mahama said this when the French Minister for Overseas Development and Francophone Affairs, Madam Geraldine Brigitte, paid a courtesy call on him at his office at the Castle on Monday.

The French minister was in the country to extend an invitation to the Presidency to attend the 12th summit of the International Organisation of the Francophone in Quebec, Canada, later in the year.

He recounted a number of experiences with many government officials who attend high-level meetings in Francophone countries and were unable to communicate because of their inability to speak French.

“Our French counterparts even do well to speak the English with us but those of us from the English-speaking countries seldom speak any French at all and that is not the best,” Alhaji Mahama said.

The Vice-President had early on exchanged some greetings in French with his guest but was unable to continue when the conversations went deep.

According to him, the President had directed all government officials to take compulsory French lessons, adding that “this is what has helped me and we are trying to ensure that the teaching of the French language becomes a major subject at all levels of the academic calendar”.

He encouraged business people who traded with their counterparts in the neighbouring countries to endeavour to learn the language to enable them to transact business without stress.

Alhaji Mahama said there was a lot to benefit should Ghanaians begin to engage their neighbours in serious trading and economic activities.

He assured the French minister of the government's commitment to make the teaching and learning of French much more widespread for many more people to benefit.

Madam Brigitte for her part commended Ghana for the efforts she was putting in place to get more people to learn the French language.

In spite of this, she said, Ghana needed to attach greater interest to making the teaching and learning of French more widespread for many more people to benefit.

Madam Brigitte said France was committed to making more resources available to Ghana to enable it to create the necessary environment for people to learn the language.

She expressed the hope that the government would be able to attend the summit to further strengthen the relationship between Ghana and the Francophone countries.

Story by Charles Benoni Okine