NCCE Bemoans Gov’t Inability To Fund Project To Translate Constitution Into Local Languages

Josephine Nkrumah, The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Chairperson,has bemoaned the inability of government to fund their project of translating the Ghanaian constitution into 15 local languages to make it more accessible to Ghanaians who are not comfortable with the English language.

Mrs. Josephine Nkrumah said the Commission engages stakeholders every year on ways to make the constitution more accessible to Ghanaians, but a lack of funding stalled the printing of the Constitution in local languages after the project had initially commenced.

“We have engaged many stakeholders every year on amplifying the importance of the constitution and making it a document that is alive to each and every one. In fact, further to that we have even translated the Constitution into 15 Ghanaian languages that were once published, but due to funding we are unable to publish it anymore so that we drive home the essence of the constitution… No, we have not found funding based on our budget to have additional production of this document.”

The NCCE boss however revealed that as an interim strategy to make the constitution accessible to Ghanaians, the NCCE through their district offices nationwide are able to breakdown the provisions in the constitution for easy understanding by locals.

“For the NCCE, despite the challenges that we face, what we do is that because we are established in all the districts in our engagements, it is broken down into the various languages that are relevant to the district.”

Madam Josephine Nkrumah was also of the view that the another added significance of Government's newly created Constitution Day on January 7, is an opportunity for the commission and government to reopen talks about the need to fund the publishing of the constitution in local languages.

“I must say that Government has set aside a date, it creates the right opportunity to engage government on establishing a fund or something to ensure that we are able to publish the document in all the languages so that every Ghanaian can have an understanding of the constitution and its bearing of the constitution on our lives.”

Ghana marks maiden constitution day holiday

Ghana is today [January 7, 2019] marking the maiden Constitution Day public Holiday.

The day has been set aside by the Akufo-Addo administration to recognize the coming into force of the 1992 constitution and the beginning of the 4^th Republic.

The government has urged the public to use the day to reflect on the country's democracy.

As part of government's activities to mark the day, the Ministry for Information is holding a public lecture under the theme, “Constitutionalism in The Fourth Republic Towards Functional Performance”.

The lecture will be delivered by the rector of GIMPA, Prof. Bondzi-Simpson.

The Minister for Information in an interview with Citi News said the lecture will examine how far the country has come with its constitutional democracy.

The government presented a bill before parliament to amend the Public Holidays Act to include January 7, August 4 and September 21 as statutory public holidays.

It also made July 1, formerly a Republic Day Holiday, a commemorative day just as May 25, which was AU Day Holiday.

Source: Citinewsroom.com | Ghana | [email protected]