Tema, Feb. 7, GNA – The Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating book fair, which berthed at the Tema Port late January, continues to attract long queues of visitors, who throng the facility daily.
The ship, billed to berth for a 38-days, with a crew and staff strength of about 400 Christian volunteers from 60 nations, contains 5,000 book titles being patronized by the many visitors.
The books cover a range of subjects including science, sports, hobbies, medicine, cookery, languages and philosophy with children’s titles.
The ship is opened to the public from Tuesdays to Sundays, and usually attracts large numbers of visitors on weekends, a situation leading to people queueing for hours before having their turn to enter.
A visit by the Ghana News Agency on Sunday met long queues of vehicles waiting at the Clinker Gate of the Port of Tema where the ship is docked awaiting their turn to go through security checks before entering.
Some of them told the GNA that on a normal day the Port was a restricted area so having the opportunity to enter, thanks to the docking of Logos Hope, was a moment they cherished.
They said apart from seeing vessels getting close to them for the first time, they saw how clinker was being discharged, as well as reach-stackers lifting and stacking containers.
A crew member, who was carrying a water dispenser at his back, covered with the flag of his country, created humor while giving people free water to sip.
To qualify to have a taste of his ‘holy water’, you have to say; “Jesus is Lord” and he would hand over to you a small cone-shaped paper cup with chilled water.
Mr Joshua Boateng Appiah, a visitor, said it was his first time visiting the vessel, and that he and his family joined the queue at about 14:15 hours, stood for about three hours before getting the chance to get a chair provided under a canopy to sit at 1800 hours.
He said the wait was worthwhile as he admired the interior of the vessel, which was breathtaking, in addition to the amazing number of books available for sale at affordable prices.
“I will visit the ship again to buy more books,” he said.
He suggested that more ticket selling points must be made available on weekends to ease the long queues.
Mr. Charles Abrokwa, a resident of Oyibi, said even though it was hectic standing in the long queue, for him and his family it was an eye-opener as it served as an excursion for the children.
The current Logos Hope ship had visited Ghana three times with the last one being 2016, this brings the number of visits to 17 times with the four different ships of Logos Mission Ships.
The crew and staff of the ship, as part of the visit, engage in mission and medical outreaches as well as workshops for youth leaders, women of virtue and a mission fair.
GNA