Eastern Region, Ghana//-The Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa North Constituency, Hon Gifty Twum Ampofo has commended the Chief of Akyem Ati, Barima Ati Awua Kwaako and his elders for their vision in selecting literacy and education as key targets for their contribution to the town’s development.
She also charged parents, teachers and pupils in the community to take education and reading seriously because that will determine the quality of the future of today’s children.
Hon Twum Ampofo, who is also the Deputy Minister of Education made these remarks when she inaugurated the Ayem Ati Reading Club during the recent Ohum Festival.
The MP also exhorted parents and teachers to encourage the children and youth of the town to take advantage of the opportunity to inculcate the reading habit and thereby improve their overall education and life’s opportunities.
Hon Gifty Twum Ampofo repeated her promise made to the town four years ago, to support the library project, which will begin as soon as the issues of land and location are resolved.
At the same function, 200 mathematics books provided by Digibooks were distributed to all basic and JHS schools in the community. The purpose is to enhance mathematics education and results in the community.
Explaining the rationale of the Club, Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, Apagyahene of Akyem Ati and former President of the Ghana Association of Writers, said that the Reading Club, which is the brainchild of Atihene, has been established to enhance literacy, especially reading among the youth of the town. It currently has more than two hundred books and is set to grow to one thousand by the end of this year.
Elaborating on the issue, Nana Gyan-Apenteng said that the club operates like a library under the direction of the Gyaasehene Baafour Addo Gyan, who is a retired educationist. He has volunteered to organise a system that allows people to borrow books from the palace for two weeks. Teachers are encouraged to supervise the scheme in their various schools.
Nana Gyan-Apenteng expressed the gratitude of the Chiefs and people of Ati to the MP and writers and publishers who donated books, including Digibooks, Smartline, Sub-Sahara Publishers, and members of the Ghana Association of Writers. He appealed for more books and support from publishers, writers and the Ghana Library Authority.
Writer and photos: Alberta Morty