Ms Abla Dzifa Gomashie, a former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has advised students to take their studies and reading seriously at the 2019 celebration of the International Children's Book Day.

She advised them to read widely and learn hard to become responsible adults and contribute their quota to the development of the country.

Ms Gomashie was speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the 2019 KidFest at Agbozume in the Ketu South Municipality.

She encouraged the teachers to promote the call by the Management of the Ghana Library Authority for the year "Reading for Progress ".

The Authority has declared 2019 as a ‘National Year of Reading’ in an effort to promote and sustain literacy and life-long learning to improve on knowledge and skills of the citizenry to significantly contribute to national development.

She also encouraged the students to read their books and also make good use of the two libraries in the Municipality; the Helen and Patrick Gomashie Future Leaders Library in the Avoeme Basic School and the Agbozume Library.

Ms Gomashie presented some reading books as prizes to the First, Second and Third positions in the competition.

Winners would be given a tour to some key locations in Accra or Ho at the expense of Values For Life (VFL-GHANA), a Non-Governmental Organisation.