Students in Sunyani want abandoned regional library completed

Correspondence from Bono Region

The construction of a regional library in the capital of Brong Ahafo, Sunyani was initiated by the then Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, the late Hon Joseph Henry Mensah in the year 2002.

The late Hon Joseph Henry Mensah was the Member of Parliament for Sunyani East for three terms; from 1996 to 2007 after he handed over to the current Member of Parliament, Hon Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh in 2008.

For nearly two decades now, this initiative has not been completed despite several appeals by students in Sunyani to those in authorities.

The only public library in Sunyani which was scheduled to have been completed some eighteen (18) years ago is yet to be completed. The children library located on the abandoned children park has been left to rot. This situation, according to students in Sunyani, hampers human capital development, especially in the tertiary, senior and junior high institutions.

Sunyani Municipal currently has six tertiary institutions; Sunyani Technical University, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani Nursing and Midwifery Training College being public institutions and the Catholic University College of Ghana, College for Community and Organizational Development and College of Science, Art and Education being private institutions.

A visit to the site by Ghanaweb's Regional Correspondent revealed that there has not been any work on this huge one storey building for years. Though the building is almost completed, where plastering works - both interior and exterior has been completed with roofing sheets, what is left are the electrical works, ceiling, floor works and the general decorations including shelves to keep the books and furniture to be used by visitors.

An interaction with a staff of Ghana Library Authority complained about the delay in completing this huge edifice. The staff added that the current library can only accommodate thirty visitors at a time due to the limited space.

Mr Kyere Eric, a student at the University of Energy and Natural Resources who had come to the library expressed worry about the stagnated building and appealed to government to complete the project.

Another student at Sunyani Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Ms Gifty Amponsah stated that she normally comes to the library to borrow books. 'The place is small so I come to borrow books to learn on campus' she added.

Pupils who had come from various schools to learn at the library appealed to the responsible authorities to, as a matter of priority, complete the Sunyani Library Complex and the Sunyani Children’s Library to facilitate academic and career development of students in Sunyani and the region at large.