110 Libraries to Be Established By Government

The Ministries of Education and Local Government and Rural Development are to establish and stock 110 public libraries in the district capitals nation-wide.

This is part of government's plan for the establishment of libraries under which district assemblies will finance the construction, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education, said on Wednesday.

A statement in Accra said the Minister was speaking during a courtesy call on him by a consultant of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Mrs Diana Rosenberg.

He said the Ministry of Education is supposed to equip the libraries with books and other educational materials, adding that the establishment of the libraries would ensure that rural and urban communities alike have access to library facilities .

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi acknowledged the deficiencies currently existing in the library system and pledged government's support for the reinvigoration, renovation and refurbishment of the public libraries.

He said government's waiver of taxes for trained librarians leave public libraries for those in the private sector and said plans were afoot to improve the conditions of service of library personnel to motivate them to stay on their job.

Mrs Rosenberg said the Carnegie Foundation is in Ghana to collaborate with the Ministry to revitalise public libraries.