Local Language Revival: Ahanta West MP Integrates Ahanta into Classrooms

In a historic move to preserve Ghana’s linguistic heritage, the Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, Hon. Mavis Kuukua Bissue, has launched a transformative language revival programme aimed at reintroducing the endangered Ahanta language into classroom instruction.

Known as the Ahanta Language Renaissance Project (ALRP), the initiative marks a significant cultural milestone in the Western Region. Officially unveiled during a community durbar on July 4, 2025, the project begins its pilot phase in 20 schools within the Ahanta West Municipality. It signals a bold step toward safeguarding an indigenous language that has long been pushed to the margins.

Hon. Bissue, the first woman to represent the constituency under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is leading the charge not only as a lawmaker but also as someone personally affected by the erosion of the language. Addressing the gathering of traditional leaders and community members, she shared her own disconnection from the language of her heritage.

“I was born to Ahanta parents, yet I never learned the language—neither at home nor in school,” she admitted. “Having spent much of my life abroad, there was no point of cultural reference or resources that could connect me to my roots. My children, too, have grown up without it. This is the fate of many Ahantas.”

The Ahanta language, also known locally as Ayinda, belongs to the Central Tano branch of the Kwa language family. Once widely spoken in Ghana’s Western Region, it shares close ties with Nzema, Brosa, and Evalue. But years of neglect, limited documentation, and absence from the formal education system have rendered the language endangered—one of nearly 40 Ghanaian languages at risk of disappearing.

Determined to reverse this decline, Hon. Bissue made the revitalisation of the language a central pillar of her 2024 election campaign. Upon taking office, she immediately convened a multi-stakeholder committee to guide the project. This committee includes representatives from the three Traditional Councils in Ahanta, the Ghana Education Service, the University of Education, Winneba, faith-based groups, media professionals, and language experts.

Together, they have partnered with the Ghana Education Service and the University of Education to craft an Ahanta language curriculum and begin the pilot rollout. The project builds on earlier work by the Ahanta Bible Project, which collaborated with the Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation to develop an alphabet and translated portions of the Bible into the language.

At the launch event, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson hailed the programme as a turning point for cultural preservation in the region. “Language isn’t just a tool; it’s a vessel of identity, history, and community,” he said. “Protecting our indigenous languages means protecting who we are as a people.”

Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Ellembelle MP, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, echoed this sentiment. He celebrated the Ahanta people’s rich history, including their fierce resistance to colonial occupation, and underscored the urgency of keeping their story alive through language.

“The Ahantas are a people of strength, courage, and pride,” Buah stated. “Their legacy is not just in the land they defended, but in the language they spoke. This project is a vital step in reclaiming and restoring that legacy.”

Looking ahead, the ALRP aims to expand its reach by training more teachers and gradually incorporating the language into basic and secondary school curricula across the region. Long-term partnerships with academic institutions are expected to shape a sustainable framework for instruction.

Concluding the launch, Hon. Bissue left a powerful message: “Let’s not just teach our children how to read and write. Let’s teach them who they are. Our language is a bridge to identity, memory, and opportunity. It’s time to reclaim what was almost lost.”