Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has formally handed over the newly inaugurated Richard C. Ekem Modern ICT Library in Effutu to the Ghana Library Authority, underscoring his constituency’s commitment to expanding access to reading and knowledge.
The ceremony, held in his Parliamentary office, followed Monday’s historic commissioning of the facility, which brings Effutu’s total number of public libraries to 19 – the highest in Ghana.
During the meeting, Afenyo-Markin signed and transferred the library’s deed to the Authority. In return, he received a citation recognizing his role in building a replicable model for strengthening reading infrastructure at the constituency level.
The Minority Leader described the gesture as a “gracious acknowledgment” of sustained efforts to deepen Ghana’s culture of reading. He emphasized that libraries are not mere ornaments but “essential tools for empowering teachers, enhancing comprehension, and building the skills for lifelong learning.”
Discussions with the Authority also focused on declining educational standards, particularly at the basic level. Both parties reaffirmed the urgent need to cultivate robust reading habits as the foundation for all learning.
Afenyo-Markin linked his mission to a personal story: in 1995, Richard C. Ekem, a distinguished son of Effutu, paid his school fees at St. Augustine’s College. “He was not merely settling a bill; he was investing in a destiny,” he recalled. “Today, that student builds libraries so thousands more can walk through the door of opportunity he opened.”
He pledged continued partnership with the Ghana Library Authority to strengthen its mandate and champion policies that place education, literacy, and learning outcomes at the heart of national development.
“In Effutu, we are transforming gratitude into governance,” Afenyo-Markin said, framing the library expansion as part of a purposeful vision for growth and opportunity.
Leave a Reply