Public urged to embrace French for regional integration, economic opportunities                     

By Kingsley Webora TANKEH

As Ghana celebrates the month of La Francophonie, diplomats and government officials are urging Ghanaians to take the study of French seriously – saying the language is a critical tool for national security, economic prosperity and deeper regional integration.

Speaking at a health walk, the Deputy Head of Mission-Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire, Marie Vatè, emphasised that the current Francophone Ambassadors Group leadership’s core mission is to change perceptions about the French language.

“The ambassador wants all Ghanaians to know that they have to take speaking French seriously,” Ms. Vatè stated. She spoke on behalf of the group’s president and Ivorian ambassador to Ghana, Assiélou Felix Tanon.

Ms. Vatè stressed that the goal is to strengthen ties between Ghana and its Francophone neighbours.

The walk from Ayi Mensah tollbooth to Peduase lodge, dubbed ‘Jubilee on the Hills Sports Walk’, was organised by the Francophonie Secretariat at the Presidency as part of activities to commemorate La Francophonie month in Ghana.

Strategic Imperative for Integration

With Ghana encircled by Francophone countries – including Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso – the Policy Coordinator for La Francophonie at the Office of the President, Francis Afelete, argued that inability to communicate in French represents a significant barrier to regional integration.

“La Francophonie is like a Francophone Commonwealth. In ECOWAS, we are talking about cohesion and integration. By our proximity to our three neighboring countries, which are Francophone, La Francophonie is a way of getting integrated even better,” Mr. Afelete noted.

He said inability to speak French has severe consequences, including lost opportunities for Ghanaians in regional bodies and other economic opportunities. “There are some positions in ECOWAS that we are unable to take just because we are unable to speak the language,” he noted.

Mr. Afelete stressed that cross-border cooperation, which he said is vital for intelligence-sharing and conflict prevention, is hampered by the language barriers. “It’s important that we get closer to our people – our neighboring countries, so that we can help ourselves and avert certain security issues,” he said.

With Ghana holding veto power within the 93-member La Francophonie organisation, Mr. Afelete is urging citizens to see the French language as an asset. “The world has become a global village. Please, we are asking Ghanaians to learn the language because of opportunities. Learn the language because of your own security,” Mr. Afelete encouraged.

However, he dismissed the common notion that French is a difficult language to master. “The difficulty has to do with the writing, but speaking is not difficult,” he said, adding that Ghanaians can develop their own localised version of French.

Mr. Afelete said government and La Francophonie secretariat have lined up a series of events to immerse Ghanaians in the French language and culture. These include: French Up Your Career on March 26 at Alliance Française; a street float and parade to the Black Star Square on April 11; and a football tournament and food bazaar to culminate the celebrations.

While many Ghanaians associate La Francophonie with the French language, Head of Cooperation at the French Embassy in Ghana, Julien Lecas, noted that the organisation represents a broader concept of cultural exchange and shared values.

He advised Ghanaians to abandon fear of needing perfection when approaching the language, demystifying the notion that French is difficult. “I’m not speaking academic French. I’m speaking the French of everyday life – French that will help me to buy some food, to speak with people. So consider it as an easy language and just begin,” Mr. Lecas said.

He noted that the French Embassy is working with the Ministry of Education and private sector to introduce innovative learning methods, including artificial intelligence tools, to make the French language more accessible for Ghanaians.

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