The much awaited Regional Book Fair opened in Sunyani in the Bono Region on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

The event which is organized by the Ghana Book Development Council (GBDC) and the Ghana Book Publishers Association (GBPA) in Collaboration with the Regional Directorate of Education, Bono Region is being held at Sunyani Presby Church, from Monday 14th to 18th May, 2019.

The colourful opening ceremony which was interspersed with cultural display on the importance of reading was well attended. Some of the personalities who attended the opening ceremony include the Regional Director of Education for the Bono Region, Dr. Peter Attafuah, the Regional Secretary for GNAT, Bono Region, Adobosam Ibrahim; the Literacy Promotion Manager for GBDC, Daniel Ofosu-Asamoah; Frederick N.N Baada, Regional Director, Ghana Library Authority.

There were also Heads of Schools, Heads of Institutions, Teachers, and school children present. There were a number of publishing companies which exhibited varieties of books. Some of the publishing companies present were Aabok Publications, Calculus Publications, Adwinsa Publications, Smartline Publishers, Winmart Publications, Read Oak Limited, Minerva Books Limited, Mountype Books Limited etc.

The purpose of the Book Fair is to create a platform where books are made accessible to the general public, as the books are sold at discounted prices. This is to intensify a lifelong reading culture among Ghanaians, especially children in the Basic school level.

The objective for organizing the Book Fair outside Accra is to reach out to as many people as possible - students, teachers and other stakeholders in other parts of the country - who do not get the opportunity to participate in the Ghana International Book Fair which usually takes place annually in Accra.

Speaker after speaker emphasized on the need to encourage school children to cultivate a lifelong reading culture. Parents were also tasked to help their children read by setting personal example at home. Schools, teachers, parents and guardians were urged to take advantage of the occasion to buy books for their wards.