Alagumgube donates 260 Gurenɛ books to Upper East Education Directorate

The Alagumgube Association has donated 260 Gurenɛ language books to the Upper East Regional Education Directorate to support the teaching and learning of the indigenous language in basic schools across the region.

The donation was made on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the Regional Education Office in Bolgatanga, as part of the association’s efforts to contribute to educational development and the preservation of indigenous language and culture.

Speaking on behalf of the association, Abraham Adoctor Giba said the donation comprised 250 books for distribution to five Gurenɛ-speaking Municipal and District Education Directorates, with an additional 10 copies for the Regional Directorate.

He said although the books were not enough to meet the needs of all schools, the association viewed the initiative as a seed that could grow into a larger intervention in the future.

“We recognise that these 260 books may not be enough to meet the needs of all our schools. However, as the proverb says, ‘The ant says that although something may be small, it must appreciate its husband.’ We see this donation as a seed being planted today, with the hope that it will grow into something much bigger in the future,” he said.

Mr Giba said Alagumgube considers education a critical component of sustainable development and believes that the preservation of indigenous languages should form an important part of the educational process.

He noted that language was not only a means of communication but also a vehicle for preserving people’s identity, culture and heritage.

“People often think and express their deepest ideas in their mother tongue before interpreting them into other languages where necessary. For this reason, the development and promotion of indigenous languages in education is crucial and must be given the attention it deserves,” he said.

According to him, the association decided to support Gurenɛ education particularly because the language has been approved as a Ghanaian language for teaching and examination.

He called on stakeholders in education to contribute towards making Gurenɛ a strong and respected language of education and communication.

Mr Giba also acknowledged the contributions of Prof. Avea Nsoh, Prof. Atintono Samuel, Mr James Ababila, Dr Helen Atipoka, Mr Nathaniel N-yaaba and their colleagues for their role in preparing the Gurenɛ syllabus and initial learning materials.

He further recognised Mr Akariboga Isaac, the author of the donated books, and others working to develop and promote the language.

“Although their contributions may not always receive immediate recognition, posterity will remember them, and the annals of history will forever record their efforts,” he said.

Mr Giba said Alagumgube would continue to explore opportunities to support the development, promotion and preservation of Gurenɛ while contributing to educational development in the Upper East Region.

Beyond education, he highlighted some of the association’s previous interventions, including advocacy and support for the development of the Upper East Regional Airport.

He said the association mobilised resources to clear and gravel the airport runway after observing that the project had stalled and subsequently advocated for interventions including the preparation of a cadastral plan.

He expressed satisfaction that the airport project had progressed to a stage where a sod-cutting ceremony was expected to pave the way for construction.

Mr Giba also recounted the circumstances that motivated Alagumgube’s efforts towards the establishment of a passport office in the Upper East Region.

He said the death of a young man travelling from Wa to Bolgatanga after completing biometric registration for a passport highlighted the difficulties residents faced in accessing essential services outside the region.

According to him, the incident prompted the association to initiate and pursue the process of establishing a passport office in the region, which was eventually handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said the association’s interventions also included social and humanitarian activities, such as visits to the Navrongo Prisons, Mama Laadi Children’s Home and the maternity ward of the Bolgatanga Hospital, as well as support for two mothers of triplets in Bongo.

Mr Giba also announced that the association’s Ghana chapter would celebrate its anniversary in December 2026, following the second anniversary celebration of its diaspora branches in the United States in July.

He extended an invitation to stakeholders and the public to join the association in marking the occasion.

Mr Giba expressed appreciation to the Regional Director of Education and the various Municipal and District Directors of Education for their commitment to the development and promotion of Gurenɛ.

He also commended the Founder of Alagumgube, its international, national and local chapter executives, members and supporters for their continued contribution to development initiatives.

He concluded by emphasising that preserving Gurenɛ was a collective responsibility.

“When we preserve our language, we preserve our identity; when we teach it to our children, we pass our heritage on to the next generation,” he said.

He called for continued collaboration among educators, traditional authorities, language experts, parents and other stakeholders to promote the teaching, learning and preservation of Gurenɛ in the Upper East Region.