BY: KOD I Voltaonlinegh.com |
First Lady of the Republic, H.E. Mrs. Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo, has commissioned and handed over a newly constructed library in Kumawu to the Sekyere Kumawu District Assembly and the Ghana Library Authourity in the Ashanti Region.
The library which will serve the Kumawu Anglican cluster of schools and its environs was constructed, furnished and resourced by the Rebecca Foundation, with the support of the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Library Authority and Book Aid International.
In a brief speech read on her behalf at the commissioning, Mrs. Akufo-Addo said reading is one of the surest ways to acquiring quality education, as it exposes children to the immense knowledge contained in books and other reading materials.
She said since assuming office in 2017, the NPP administration under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo has implemented several policies aimed at making education affordable and accessible to all Ghanaian children.
“Government has invested huge resources in implementing policies such as Free SHS, free hot meals, free text books, and free uniforms among others all aimed at ensuring equal access to education, to break the vicious cycle of inequalities”, Mrs Akufo-Addo said.
According to Mrs. Akufo-Addo however, these laudable policies stand the risk of bearing little fruit if the foundation of reading, is not strengthened.
It is in this light, she said, that the Rebecca Foundation has so far through its “Learning to Read Reading to Learn” Initiative constructed, furnished resourced and commissioned libraries in Wenchi in the Bono Region, Sefwi Debiso in the Western North Region, Moree in the Central Region, Daffiama Bussie Issah in the Upper West Region, Amansaman in the Greater Accra Region and Kumawu in the Ashanti.
The First Lady also announced soon-to-be completed libraries at Bortianor in the Greater Accra Region and Dambai in the Oti Region to bring the total number of libraries constructed by the Rebecca Foundation, to eight.
She said the Rebecca Foundation will continue to support government’s effort to make education accessible and attractive to the youth.
Mrs. Akufo-Addo urged parents and other stakeholders, to encourage their wards to patronise these reading facilities, emphasising that literacy is the means by which lifelong learning and a child’s ability to learn to the highest levels remain possible.
The First Lady also used the occasion to advise the people to continue adhering to the Covid-19 safety protocols in all their daily activities, warning that the deadly disease is no respecter of persons and boundaries as has been witnessed in the many lives which have been lost to it worldwide.
The Member of Parliament for Kumawu Hon. Philip Basoah thanked the First Lady for her support and congratulated her on her immense contribution in empowering the youth through education.
Also present to grace the occasion were the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Library Authority, DCE for Kumawu Mr Samuel Addai Agyekum as well as Traditional leaders.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com/The Rebecca Foundation
