President Akufo-Addo has launched a campaign to get more Ghanaians to join the government’s effort to provide libraries in every nook and cranny of the country.
That, he said was because the availability of libraries everywhere in the country is an essential prerequisite to meeting the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG 4).
The library was named after his late father, Edward Akufo-Addo who was President of Ghana between 1970 and 19732 by the Ghana Library Authority (GLA) in honour of his memory.
Speaking at the commissioning of a public library at Frafraha in Accra, he said “it is unfortunate that after 71 years of the existence of the public library service in Ghana, most Ghanaians still do not have access to this important community anchor institution (libraries) whose role in the growth and development of our society is extremely positive.”
To remedy the situation, the President noted that “over the last five years”, his “government has redefined the mandate of the Ghana Library Authority and charged it to be responsive to the growing needs of the Ghanaian population.”
“I want to encourage all Ghanaians to support the expansion of library services for the benefit of all. We cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4 which requires that we promote quality education for all by relegating the development of libraries to the background” he said.
On the expansion drive so far, the President noted that he is “impressed” as all Ghanaians should be, “with the expansion of library network through various strategic partnerships”, such as “the introduction of the digital library, the provision of access through mobile phones, the increase of books on the shelves of libraries across the country.”
The President further mentioned “the renovations carried out on dilapidated libraries, the availability of internet and computers, the reintroduction of mobile library services, as well as the design of many other innovative solutions and programmes, as other steps taken which are geared towards making Ghana a truly reading and learning nation.
He took the opportunity to recognise three individuals who have in recent times made contributions toward the expansion of libraries in the country.
First, was his wife, First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who he said has “through the Rebecca Foundation, built and handed over 10 library facilities to the Ghana Library Authority with six more in the pipeline.”
“I must commend too, the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Awutu constituency, Alexander Afenyo Markin, who has constructed, furnished, and handed over, 13 library facilities to the Ghana Library Authority, as I must, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, who also recently handed over a fully furnished library at Awutu Breku to the Ghana Library Authority,” President Akufo-Addo said.
On the naming of the library after his late father, President Akufo-Addo noted that neither he nor his family played a role in the decision to name the facility after his father, saying it was solely the decision of the governing board of the Ghana Library Authority, for which, he and his two siblings are thankful.
He, therefore, thanked the chairperson, members of the governing board, and management of the Ghana Library Authority for recognizing the contribution of his late father, the President of the second republic and the third Ghanaian Chief Justice in the history to the development of public services library in Ghana and for naming this library after him.
“Before I am predictable, accused by my political opponents of seeking the unwarranted glorification of my father, it must be put on record that this decision was taken solely by the governing board without any input or knowledge by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo” was how he put it.
The decision he says, “was taken according to” his “understanding and information, because my father was the first Ghanaian to chair the board of the Ghana Library Authority, an institution that had been in existence in colonial times since 1950” and thus noted that “my siblings, Marigold, Edward and I, thank Ghana Library Authority once again, for the honour done the memory of our late father, Edward Akufo-Addo.”
The Edward Akufo-Addo library which has been stocked with over 30,000 books is named after Edward Akufo-Addo, the father of the current President of Ghana.
Edward Akufo-Addo was part of the Big Six, one of the stalwarts of Ghana’s Independence struggle.
He was the Chief Justice of Ghana under the National Liberation Movement (1966 – 1970) and later became ceremonial President under the Busia Progress Party government.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent