FG inaugurates committee for language policy development

The Federal Government has formerly inaugurated the National Technical Committee for the development of Language Policy for Nigeria to preserve Nigeria’s indigenous languages.

Malam Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education who inaugurated the committee in Abuja, said the National Language Policy is to enable government create conducive atmosphere for the preservation of indigenous languages, as well as determine how language skills are developed and deployed to achieve national goals.

He said the National Language Policy could not be taken for granted, because it would produce a workable document that will promote enable the Nigerian child grow up multilingual.

Adamu also said that a well articulated language policy would enhance the international status of Nigeria, as Hausa is spoken in all Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), even in Central Africa and Cameroon, while Yoruba is spoken in Benin Republic and the Diaspora.

Arabic is the official language of most North African countries and the Middle East.

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The minister commended members of the committee and expressed the ministry’s gratitude for accepting to partner, explaining that their nomination was based on their wealth of experience in linguistic and educational matters.

Speaking earlier, the representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Director ICT, Dr Ifegwu Oji, said the importance of Language Policy for Nigeria cannot be overemphasised, explaining that the policy will not only encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education, but will also create better awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions.

He noted that it would assist in regulating and enabling the effective utilisation of languages for the achievement of national goals.