Ga Culture Under Threat: Teaching And Learning Of Ga Language Sinking

Leadership of the umbrella association of GaDangme residents in Europe, GaDangme Europe (GDEU) are worried over what they describe as deliberate grand machinations and manipulations by the Ghana Education Service to stop and sink the teaching, speaking and learning of GaDangme language in schools.

According to the group, there is a growing trend being witnessed where the teaching, speaking and learning of the Ga language has been stopped in schools in the Greater Accra region.

The association made these shocking revelations at a press conference held in Accra to share its development agenda for the near future with GaDangmes and Ghanaians at large back home.

The group led by Amamole Gyaase Manye, Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I, an Advisor to the GaDangme Europe (GDEU) and a Member of the Electoral Commission of the GDEU, claimed that the Ga language was not being taught or spoken in our schools and is likely to put the GaDangme cultural heritage under grave threat.

“The Ga and Dangme languages are not being taught in our schools in the Greater Accra region and this puts the languages of Ga and Dangme in danger of being annihilated and I think it is a call for concern for all of us,” , Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I, remonstrated.

Another worrying factor identified was the posting of Ga teachers out of Accra to other regions to teach which compounded the problem rather than staying homeland to teach the GaDangme languages in schools.

Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I, maintained that the Ga Language is a beautiful language with a rich culture and could not understand why that in schools other languages were being taught with little or no more attention given to the teaching and learning of the Ga Language.

She, has therefore, appealed to the Ministry of Education to enforce the laws of teaching the indigenous Ghanaian languages in their respective regions.

Touching on some of the setbacks that have hindered the development of the Ga state she cited Chieftaincy disputes, disunity among various stool houses and other GaDangme institutions, portrayal of indignity by some of these leaders and the negative publicity on issues relating to the indiscriminate sale of GaDangme Lands as some of the major drawbacks which persistently stalled development projects.

“We would like to encourage you the chiefs and traditional leaders to stand behind each other to provide the support required to encourage synergy when dealing with your affairs. We will also encourage respect amongst the stool chiefs and portrayal of brotherliness in all your endeavours.

....We encourage too, better relationship between all traditional leaders and GaDangme institutions such as the GaDangme Council, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Greater Accra Regional Ministry. We will also like to see better integration of the GaDangme Student bodies at the tertiary institutions. I would call to your attention the shamefulness of watching the leaders' portrayal of negative publicity at the motherland,” she noted.

Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I, said the GaDangme Diaspora communities are the building blocks with each of its neighbours unifying as many GaDangme people to forge and strengthen ties abroad such that the younger generation (GaDangme Youth) would be kept interested in their inheritance.

She further encouraged the Ga traditional and stool leaders to fulfill their part of the bargain and also change their attitude by just leading by example whilst supporting the group from the distance so that when they returned home, especially with the youth who will be the future leaders, a great home coming will be felt and pride will be endured by all who call themselves The GaDangme People.

The highly respected Queen Mother was flanked and supported by other leading executives which included Pastor Chester Quartey based in Hamburg Germany; Teddy Adjanor based in London; Emmanuel Okpoti; Nii Yartey also based in London, Nii Sowah Klu Assistant PRO, Nii Adjei Klu, Cultural and Language Ambassador For GDEU.

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