Sunyani (B/A), Feb., 18 GNA - Mr. Frederic Noble Baada, Chairman of the Ghana Mobile Library Service Committee, complained that the group could not commence its work last year due to the lack of funds. He said the expected funds would have been used to purchase generators, rain coats, mosquito nets, tents, fuel, fire extinguishers, as well as the allowances for the staff of the Committee. Mr. Baada told GNA in Sunyani that preparations in all the ten regions of the country were completed and the staff had undergone training to enable the Committee to deliver service to communities without access to library.

He said that workshops were organized for stakeholders including district chief executives and traditional authorities to ensure sustainability of the programme. Mr. Baada said that assorted books, vans, drivers and others staffs to run the mobile library service were ready to go to the field. He said "In all, about 60 communities in 20 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies across the country would have benefited from the service last year".

Mr. Baada said beneficiary communities were chosen by the Regional Ministers in consultation with Regional and District Directors of education.

He explained that before agreement was reached for the implementation of the programme, the Regional Libraries were tasked to submit budgets, which were added to the annual budgets of the Ghana Library Board (GLB).

Mr. Baada said the Committee was waiting for approval from the Executive Director of the GLB to enable it to embark on fund raising exercise as mandated in the Committee's policy guidelines. He said the programme was part of the poverty reduction strategy, as people who could not afford to buy certain kinds of books may get them for free.

Mr. Baada appealed to churches, institutions, NGOs, philanthropists and individuals to come to the aid of the board and urged dces and the traditional authorities to support the staffs of the mobile service. 16 Feb. 09