First lady hands over library project to Moree community

The First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo Addo has commissioned a 40-seater computerised library stocked with books on different subjects for children at Moree in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) district of the Central Region.

The library is a project under the “Learning to read and reading to learn initiative” launched by the Rebecca Foundation to improve literacy among children from the ages of six and 15.

Speaking at the commissioning, the first lady explained that the library was built to ensure that children in Moree had access to information and ultimately secure a deserved great future.

She encouraged the children to cultivate the culture of reading saying, “read, learn new words and learn new things. Start writing your own little stories, it can be about your everyday life, adventure or some issue that you feel passionate about”

She stressed that writing would give them a voice to communicate with the World and share their talent.

Three similar libraries have been built in the Upper west, Bono and the Western North Regions, while Oti and Ashanti regions are also to benefit soon.

The First Lady said one’s ability to write, read and communicate effectively was vital for social and economic development and to transform lives.

However, she regretted that studies showed that many children at the lower primary level in Sub-Saharan Africa struggled to read in the official or local languages.

“Anyone with limited literacy skills is virtually excluded from written information that can change their lives. Literacy is not just about reading and writing, it is the ability to read, understand and apply the content to improve one’s life and that of society”, she added.

According to the first lady, the free Senior High School (SHS) policy had been one of the most significant developments in the history of the country that would have major positive impact on the society.

“If we enhance a child’s ability to read and write, the learning outcomes and success at academic achievement greatly improve. We have no option as a country that to re-ignite the reading culture”.

“All projects of Rebecca Foundation are designed to be mainstreamed to ensure ownership by beneficiaries”, she added.

She expressed gratitude to the Ghana Library Authority (GLA) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) for their immense support for the “ reading to learn and learning to read project”.

Mr Hayford Siaw, the Director General of the GLA said a total of 80 libraries were built since 2017, while several others were renovated to meet modern standards.

Four of them he said, were built by the Rebecca Foundation and expressed gratitude to the First Lady for her commitment to improving literacy among Ghanaian children.