By Lamin Njie
The National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), with support from the African Union Academy of Languages (ACALAN), recently held a day-long workshop on the role, expectation, and opportunities of minority languages as part of the elaboration of the pending National Language Policy for The Gambia.
The workshop, held at NCAC’s office complex, along Kairaba Avenue, aims to explore ideas from minority languages speakers in The Gambia on how the policy can help these languages avoid potential extinction, as well as address the challenges and threats faced by the language groups that can be tackled by the National Language Policy.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Hassoum Ceesay, Director General, National Centre for Arts and Culture, said the day-long programme was part of The Gambia’s strive to have its language policy by mid-2025.
Informing the participants about the background of the project, Mr Ceesay said it is meant to raise awareness on the proposed National Languages Policy for The Gambia.
He disclosed that the National Languages Policy should be a policy that will help to empower Gambians, taking into consideration all languages spoken in the country.
“These languages are rich and have a critical role to play in national development. But we also know that as far as national development is concerned, these languages are underutilised.
However, the language policy will look at how to empower our languages, promote and preserve them,” he stated.
Mr. Nana Grey Johnson, from the University of The Gambia, described the workshop as timely, stating that The Gambia is part of the global family and having a national policy in place will be commendable.
He commended the National Centre for Arts and Culture for heading this all-important initiative of coming up with a national language policy, for the first time in the history of the country.
