e-Ananse partners 'Ghana Reads 2019'

The 2019 edition of ‘Ghana Reads’, a community reading festival scheduled for Wednesday, October 2, 2019, has been joined by the e-Ananse Library initiative, as partnering company.

The festival, to be held at the new Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Office Complex in Accra, will also commemorate the International Reading Day.

Mr. Oswald Okaitei, Poet & Project Ambassador (Ghana Reads) explaining the need for the partnership with e-Ananse, in an interview with The New Publisher, said the togetherness was necessary and would make efforts at protecting the reading culture among the youth very successful.

''Ghana Reading Initiative (GRI) and e-Ananse seem to have the same aim. We have the same objectives about encouraging the reading culture among everyone, the reason the partnership was secured. When I was young, I remember going to the library to borrow books to read, but at the moment, people read to pass academic work, which seems to be a norm for basically the youths.

''We intend to change the narrative. That's why this sort of partnership was secured. e-Ananse, since its birth, has shown passion to cultivate the reading culture. We look forward to impacting people on daily basis. The celebrities and high profile personalities set to be at the venue would as well speak concerning better prospects in reading''.

According to him, the essence of this year’s event is to stock libraries in five communities within the AMA, namely Chorkor, Jamestown, Osu, Kawukudi and Korle Gonno.

He said individuals and institutions would also be encouraged to purchase some selected Ghanaian fiction books.

‘Ghana Reads’, he disclosed, is a community-based reading campaign aimed at encouraging Ghanaians, particularly children and the youth, to develop the love for reading.

The event, which is also intended to promote the reading of Ghanaian fiction literature, as well as bridging the gap between readers and authors or publishers, is under the theme: ‘To inform the Blackman, put it in a book.’ Former Second Lady, Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Athur, Accra Mayor, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, John Dumelo, Samia Nkrumah, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Kofi Akpabli, Nana Kwasi Gyan Apenteng, Blakk Rasta, Prof. Lade Wosornu, Kwaku Elliot and a host of others will grace the event.

Adjei Sowah is the chairman while and Mrs. Amissah-Arthur is expected to be Special Guest of Honour. The keynote address will be delivered by Nana Apenteng.

The 2019 edition of ‘Ghana Reads!’ is set to feature a conversation on how to make reading a cultural practice in Ghana, explore different reading forms, such as Read Aloud, Dramatic Reading, Read & Play, Read & Colour, Voices & Acts, Read Chain, among others.

According to him, it will also host books exhibition and sales, reading clinics/workshops and reading competitions.

This year’s edition will see the unveiling of e-Ananse Library and an Amphi-Theatre at the new AMA Complex, Accra City Hall, and is being supported by Office of the Accra Mayor, Adwinsa Publications (Gh) Ltd, Proimasidor (Yumvita), Kiddie Esports (Read To Play), Writers Project of Ghana, Values For Life-Gh, The Zongo Girls’ Rise Project, Achievers Ghana, Citi TV/Fm, TV Africa, Insight Newspaper, Class Fm, GBC News, Pan African Tv, Graphic Showbiz, Radio Univers, Wosornu Foundation, Play House.kom, New Publisher Newspaper, Eden Designs.