The Committee on Bilingualism and Multiculturalism of the Major National Dialogue, has recommended the strict implementation of bilingualism at all levels of national life so as to enhance social cohesion.
Submitting its final report to the Technical Secretariat of the Major National Dialogue on Thursday, the Committee said the measure should be applied through the creation and implementation of programs from pre-school ages. Added to this, the committee said a legislation should be passed on the equitable use of the two official languages all over the national territory.
In the same line of promoting national social cohesion, the committee recommended that a curriculum on inter community fellowship, rebuilding fraternal trust and civic engagement be conceived and implemented.
Principles of social dialogue, social cohesion and living together should be conceived and codified, the committee recommended.
The committee also recommended the enrooting of cultural diversity through the implementation of regional balance and equitable access to public service and security forces.
All professional schools should have bilingual teachers while the civil service should make bilingualism compulsory at all services and recruitment of translators compulsory in all stratas of the public service, committee members proposed.
At the level of the private sector, they recommended effective measures be put in lace to ensure companies and businesses adopt a bilingual approach.
As concerns cultural diversity, the committee proposed religious diversity should be continuously encouraged in the country.
The commitee recommended intercultural exchanges should be encouraged amongst various communities adding that inter-cultural marriages will help reinforce living together.
Since they are the are the people who interact on a daily basis withthe local communities, traditional rulers should be given a special status, the committee said.
The also stressed on the fight against hate speech and said the Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism should be empowered to fight against this as well as the stigmatisation of citizens through their regions of origin. In that light, more respect and protection should be given to cultural minorities, the committee said.
The also recommended specific measures be taken at the level of the public service to stamp out tribalism and other bad practices that could exclude a community from positions in the civil service.
The committee that was chaired by the Vice President of the Social Democratic Front Joshua Osih, suggested the creation of divisional and sub divisional bodies to facilitate the effective implementation of all these recommendations.
