By Adams Perpetual
The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and Senior Advisor to the President on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, has called on Ghanaians to rethink how culture and language are linked to national development.
According to him, promoting accuracy in historical discourse is essential for strengthening unity, reducing language and cultural anxieties, and ensuring Ghana’s diversity becomes an asset for national progress.
“Not many journalists read, so they cannot tell the falsehood,” he said.
Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show on September 16, 2025, Dr. Thompson noted that debates around cultural expressions and greetings, such as “Obaake” and “Akwaaba,” have often been narrowed to a feud between Ga and Akan communities. He stressed that such arguments miss the bigger picture, as Ghana’s history reflects centuries of interaction, migration, and intermarriage among different ethnic groups, particularly the Ga, Akan, and others.
He explained that Accra’s growth, once a small town with close-knit communities, has expanded rapidly through urbanization. For example, areas like Gbawe, considered rural as recently as 1984, are today urban and diverse. This rapid urban growth, he said, has led to what he described as “language anxiety,” with some groups fearing their indigenous languages are being overshadowed.
Dr. Thompson emphasized that Ghana’s rich cultural heritage and linguistic diversity should not be viewed as sources of division but as essential tools for inclusive and sustainable development. By embracing this diversity, he said, the country can strengthen national unity, foster innovation, and chart a stronger path toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
