Bureau of Ghana Languages

Bureau of Ghana Languages
Flag
Language centres		Accra and Tamale
Largest city		Accra
Sponsored languages		Twi Ga Fante Ewe Mfantse Nzema Dangme Gonja Dagaare Dagbani Kasem
Demonym		Ghanaian
Type		Government Agency
Leaders
•	Agency Chair	Francis E. Kwaw
Establishment
•	Vernacular Literature Bureau	1 January 1950
•	Active	1951
•	Renamed Bureau of Ghana Languages	1957
Area
•	Total	238,535 km^2 92,099 sq mi
Population
•	2014 estimate	27,000,000
•	Density	32.12/km^2 83.2/sq mi
Calling code		233
Website http://www.ghanaculture.gov.gh/index1.php?linkid=331&page=4&sectionid=602

The Bureau of Ghana Languages is an agency of the government of Ghana that focuses on Ghanaian languages, including publication of materials in them.

It was founded in 1951, originally as the Vernacular Literature Bureau,^[1] and later given its current name. It has two offices, one in Accra and the other in Tamale.

It focuses on 11 languages: Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Ewe, Mfantse, Ga, Dangme, Nzema, Dagbani, Dagaare, Gonja and Kasem.^[2]

Vision

An institution that provides effective and excellent services for the promotion, orthographic control and learning of Ghanaian languages and other cultural aspects through pragmatic strategies and influencing government policies.

Mission

The mission of the Bureau of Ghana Languages is to provide services in Ghanaian languages to individuals, organizations, institutions and the general research into Ghanaian languages, writing, translation of non-local language documents, assessment, editing and publication of documents in Ghanaian languages and to influence government policies on Ghanaian languages.

Profile

The Bureau of Ghana Languages (BGL) is the focal point for the development, promotion, orthographic control and learning of Ghanaian languages and other cultural aspects. It also influences Government Policies on Ghanaian languages through the co-ordination of all agencies involved in promoting Ghanaian languages.

History

In 1958 it was converted into a Department under the Ministry of Information. It was later transferred from the Ministry of Information to the Ministry of Education in 1963. The Bureau has since 1st. December, 1989 been under the National Commission on Culture by the PNDC Law 238. The Bureau of Ghana Languages is a government institution involved in the educational and cultural effort of the nation. It is a unique institution because, as a government publishing house, it is the only institution of its kind that publishes exclusively in Ghanaian languages.

List of Directors

Heads of the Bureau of Ghana Languages

Name	Beginning of term	End of term	Region
R.C. Whitaker	1951	1953	[[|]]
John A Hamilton	1953	1956	[[|]]
Edwin L. Read Jr.	1956	1958	[[|]]
Samuel K. Otoo	1958	1968	[[|]]
Samuel K. Otoo	1968	1972	[[|]]
Felix S. Konu	1973	1982	[[|]]
Daniel E. K. Krampah	1982	1995	[[|]]
John N. Nanor	1995	2001	[[|]]
J. C. Abbey	2001	2005	[[|]]
A.A . Arries-Tagoe	2005	2005	[[|]]
Francis E. Kwaw	2005	Date	[[|]]

References

1. Ghana, National Commission on Culture, "About Us - Cultural Institutions and Agencies"
2. Ghana, National Commission on Culture, "The Bureau Of Ghana Languages-BGL" (Page 2 of 6)