By Emelia B. Addae
Koforidua, Feb. 12, GNA – Parents and guardians are being encouraged to buy reading books for their children on their birthdays and other special occasions, to strengthen the parent-child relationship and instill a positive attitude toward reading from a young age.
Mr Evans Korletey-Tene, the Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), told the Ghana News Agency, that books sparked questions and discussions, thereby expanding the child’s vocabulary and strengthening the parent-child relationship, as well as encouraging open and meaningful conversation.
He added that books delivered social returns that lasted far beyond toys and gadgets.
He reminded parents to select books that aligned with their children’s interests and developmental stage.
Picture books with vivid illustrations and simple text work best for younger children, while older children may enjoy chapter books or even non-fiction that match their hobbies.
Touching on the recently launched “Friday Morning Reading,” a literacy initiative in the New Juaben South Municipality, he said reading in the morning “helps calm the mind, boosts creativity, and increases pupils’ interest in the subjects they learn in the day.”
He said the Eastern Regional Library’s 2025 annual report showed that more than 300,000 pupils visited libraries across the region.
However, most of these pupils who patronised the community libraries did not have school libraries, so the introduction of the literacy initiative would provide access to a wide range of reading materials every Friday morning through the Mobile Library Service,” Mr Korletey-Tene said.
He added that this initiative placed great emphasis on the relevance of the mobile library service and the need for its resource allocation.
Generally, the objective of the library services was to offer free book reading facilities to all, to grow a healthy readership at all levels, to disseminate knowledge on all subjects and topics, and to collect and preserve all documents having research value, he said.
GNA
Edited by D.I. Laary/ Christabel Addo