A group of Ahanta professionals and activists called ‘One Ayinda’ has petitioned the Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, asking that indigenous Ahanta names of communities be displayed on signposts along the newly-constructed Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta highway.
The group believes that giving priority to original ‘Ayinda’ names prior to alternative linguistic variants will help to safeguard the names of the indigenous communities from going extinct.
Reclaiming the identity and cultural heritage of the Ahantas has been a strong agenda championed by the Ahanta West MP, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, whose efforts have resulted in the acceptance of an approved Ahanta orthography for teaching and learning in basic schools across the Municipality.
“For decades, the standard practice of using Fante phonetics and orthography for directional signage and administrative mapping has inadvertently led to a significant loss of indigenous Ahanta town names. Because road signs act as the primary public record of geographic identity, the historical imposition of non-indigenous spellings has gradually erased the authentic etymology of our communities,” they argued in the petition.
“The current highway reconstruction presents a historic opportunity to rectify these long-standing distortions. Prioritising correct Ahanta spellings honours the indigenous stewardship of the land, preserves our unique linguistic identity and systematically corrects historical misspellings.”
One Ayinda presented to the Western Regional Minister that promoting local languages directly aligns with Ghana’s broader cultural policy goals, which mandate the preservation of indigenous heritage and the fostering of community pride within national development frameworks.
“The Honourable Minister, in elation, agreed with us and has pledged to work with us in rallying all relevant stakeholders – the Ghana Highway Authority, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Chiefs and all political figureheads within the Ayinda and the Greater Sekondi-Takoradi metropolitan area,” the group said in a communique after presenting the petition.
They want to see this request implemented to serve as a powerful legacy for newly-constructed road to demonstrate that modern development can seamlessly coexist with, and celebrate, ancient heritage.
“In the coming weeks, One Ayinda would be meeting all MPs, MCEs and Chiefs to further make a case why this is necessary and at this time.”
By Christian Yalley
