Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has indicated that the Akufo-Addo government has increased funding for the Library Authority by 180% this year.
He said the move forms part of reforms to ensure students have easy access to public libraries and information.
Speaking at the third African Ministerial Roundtable Meeting on Information Access under the theme “Libraries on the African Development Agenda: Progress made” the Education Minister highlighted on measures laid down by the government to save the dying library industry.
“Libraries today are creating paths where citizens acquire skills to advance socio-economic wellbeing of nations. The government of Ghana under the leadership of His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo recognizes the importance of libraries in development and has initiated moves to bring public libraries and libraries in schools back to life.”
“This includes an increase in staff strength at the Ghana Library Authority, opening of new libraries, renovating existing libraries, increasing the number of books and adoption of technology in various forms of operations and service delivery. This year, government has increased funding for the Library Authority by 180 percent,” he said.
Ministerial Roundtable for African Ministers
The third Ministerial Roundtable for African Ministers with oversight responsibilities for libraries has opened under the auspices of the Education Ministry.
The conference strategically falls within the framework of the AU 2063 agenda, the Charter for African Renaissance and the related outcomes of the AU Commission meeting held in Algeria in October 2018.
The conference is aimed at providing leadership and guidance on how governments can integrate libraries in their national development plans and ensure the allocation of resources towards the achievement of the development goals.
Library Authority commissions libraries
Recently, the Ghana Library Authority commissioned four new libraries in the New Juaben Municipality of Eastern Region.
The libraries, originally constructed in 2003 by former Member of Parliament for New Juabeng North constituency, Hackman Owusu Agyeman had been closed down for many years, till it was renovated by the Authority.
The action of the Authority to absorb and reopen the library was in line with its Year of Reading plans to expand its access points for Ghanaians to benefit from professional library services.
