Dr. Apaak vows to champion Buli language in Parliament

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has vowed to champion the Buli language in Parliament following a stakeholder push to formalise its use in education.

His pledge came during a community meeting on the development of a unified orthography for Buli, a critical step toward securing its recognition within Ghana’s education system and policy framework.

Dr. Apaak made it clear that the concerns and aspirations of the Builsa people would not remain at the community level but would be carried into national decision-making spaces.

“The outcomes of this meeting will inform my contributions in Parliament, in committee discussions, in budget debates, and in any relevant legislative conversations,” he stated.

He emphasised his role as both a lawmaker and representative of the people, noting that their voices would be amplified at the highest levels of governance.

“Your voices here today are voices I will amplify on that platform,” he added, reinforcing his commitment to ensuring the Buli language agenda receives national attention.

The Deputy Minister also pointed to the constitutional backing for indigenous language development, stressing that the push for Buli is grounded in national policy rather than special consideration.

He explained that this foundation strengthens the case for legislative support and resource allocation.

Beyond Parliament, Dr. Apaak indicated his readiness to engage development partners and relevant institutions to advance the initiative.

He noted that international organisations and bilateral partners have historically supported mother-tongue literacy programmes in Ghana and could play a role in the Buli language project.

He further highlighted the importance of long-term policy protection for the language, suggesting that future efforts could focus on securing formal recognition to shield the initiative from political changes.

“I will remain actively engaged with this process,” he assured the gathering. “I will use every avenue available to me as an MP and as Deputy Minister to keep it moving.”

Buli (or Kanjaga) is a Gur language spoken by approximately 170,000–200,000 people, primarily the Bulsa ethnic group in Ghana’s Upper East Region, specifically, Builsa North and South Districts.

Dr. Apaak also acknowledged that sustained progress would depend on collaboration between policymakers, researchers, and the Builsa community, particularly in developing and adopting a unified writing system.

The orthography initiative is expected to lay the groundwork for curriculum development, teacher training, and the eventual introduction of Buli as a language of instruction in schools, with Parliament likely to play a key role in shaping its future.