Bolgatanga, April 7, GNA - The first Publication of the Gurune Language Dictionary was at the weekend launched by the citizens in the Upper East Region in Bolgatanga.

The Dictionary which is Bilingual, Gurune -English, was authored by Professor M. E. Kropp Dakubu of the University of Ghana, Mr Samuel Awinkene Atintono and Mr Ephriam Aveah Nsoh both of the University of Education of Winneba.

Gurune, sometimes referred to as Frafra is a language spoken by some of the people of Upper East Region.

In an address read for him by the Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Samuel N'lary, Mr Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister, commended the authors for their wonderful and hard work and noted that the development of the Gurune -English Dictionary would not only facilitate and enhance teaching and learning of the language in schools but would also bring to the fore the opportunity to sell the rich culture of the people to the outside world.

"This development in the long run would make the outside world to better understand the culture and tradition of the Gurune speaking people", he said, adding that, it would also help promote national unity and cohesion as the opportunity had been offered to people of other ethnic groups of the country, who hitherto, could not fully understand the ways of life of other people to now appreciate them.

He explained that the Region had in abundance a number of tourists attraction centers and with the launch of the Gurune Dictionary with its Glossary, it would further enhance tourists' understanding of the interpretation of monumental, relics and legacies and as such boost the tourism sector in the region

Mr Samari called on chiefs, assembly members, and opinion leaders to spread the awareness of the need for the adult illiterate folk to take advantage of the availability of the facility to enrol themselves into the functional literacy classes to enable them to acquire functional education.

This, he said, would help enhance their understanding of current events especially poverty interventions instituted by Government such as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Macro/Small Loan Scheme (MASLOC), National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), Capitation Grant among others to benefit from them.

The first three copies of the book were auctioned at 300 Ghana Cedis, 200 Ghana Cedis and 100 Ghana Cedis respectively.

It was launched by Mr Robert Ajene, a retired educationist. He entreated citizens from the region, especially students to take advantage of the newly launched product by studying it since it would help them in the learning of the Gurune language.

Dr Agnes Apusiga, a lecturer of the University for Development Studies (UDS) in reviewing the book, commended the authors and said it was explicitly authored and would help researchers, teachers and development workers in discharging their duties.