National Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kate Gyamfua, has acknowledged her struggle with fluent English. Critics have pointed to this language barrier as a significant drawback, arguing that it hinders her ability to effectively communicate the party’s programs and policies on English-speaking media platforms.
In an interview with Adom FM, Gyamfua attributed her lack of eloquence to her childhood boyfriend, suggesting that he played a role in her language challenges.
“I won’t argue with anyone who says I don’t speak good English. My mother enrolled me in a good school; I attended an experimental school and then to a secondary school, where I got pregnant and came home. When I was young, I had a boyfriend, he attended a local school, and I attended an experimental school, but whenever I spoke English, he made fun of me.
So I was intimidated and decided not to be speaking English anymore to avoid making mistakes. Till now, I hate him for that. I have children; I don’t want to speak English and make mistakes for people to make fun of them.
But the white people I do business with when I speak English, they understand.
“You understand English, but you have decided to work in a Twi station. So everyone decides where he or she will be comfortable. I prefer to speak on Twi stations where I can be more articulate and spread my party’s programmes. If I go to a station where they speak English, my comments will be very limited; I won’t have much to say.
I don’t want any problems, which is why I don’t go to English-speaking media houses. I have told you my story: people can choose to say what they want. Whether I am able to speak English or not, I am happy staying in my house.”
She, however, added that, due to her situation, she has ensured that all her children have quality education.
“I have taken all my children to good schools. None of them will do one master’s degree. The little among them will do two master’s degrees. My first child has four master’s degrees.
My children will do things on my own that I was not able to do. I took all my children to schools abroad fully paid by myself and not sponsored by government scholarship,” Kate Gyamfua proudly stated.