The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Marhaba FM in Accra, Alhaji Baba Sheriff Abdullai has said that the contribution of the Hausa language to Ghana’s development cannot be relegated to the background.
According to him, Ghana is the second leading Hausa-speaking country in West Africa after Nigeria making the language an important tool for communicating government policies and programmes.
Alhaji Abdullai made this statement in Accra last Monday, August 22, 2022, during the launch of this year’s ‘World Hausa Day’ under the theme ‘Hausa an Indispensable Tool for Ghana’s Development.’
He noted that the Hausa language has been used to communicate major government policies and programmes in various communities across the country.
He said it is high time the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service adopt the Hausa language for teaching in schools to ensure more Ghanaians can write and speak.
“Do you know that some time back, enlistment in the Ghana Army required the speaking of Hausa, so if we say the language has not contributed to Ghana’s development you should understand?,” Alhaji Abdullai stated
Reacting to the conception that Muslims are only noted for violence and crimes, Marhaba CEO said the various Zongos have paid their dues in the development of Ghana and it is unfortunate that people go to commit crimes and prefer to use Muslim names to create a bad impression for the people.
He added that the launch of World Hausa Day will help change the narrative associated with Muslim youth in the country to a better story in the coming years.
The event, which was organised by the Hausa Youth of Ghana is aimed at bringing all the Hausa-speaking communities and tribes up to speed with development in relation to education.
The chairman of the occasion and Youth Chief of the Zongo Community in Ghana, Alhaji Salisu Maude appealed to the government and the Tourism Ministry to develop the language because it has at least over 600 million population in Africa that speak it.
