By Lydia Kukua Asamoah, GNA
Accra, Sept. 14, GNA – The First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has commissioned a new ultra-modern library at Osenase in the Eastern Region, which is intended to boost reading and learning of school children in the area.
The library facility, built with financial support from ASR Africa, is part of the first lady’s “Learning to Read, Reading to Learn,” initiative.
It is the fourth library to be completed so far among the 12 libraries under construction by the Rebecca Foundation.
With support from other partners, the Foundation aims to inculcate reading habit among school children by providing them with the right ambiance, adequate, interesting, and relevant reading materials to enrich their knowledge.
The Osenase Library project is part of the collaborative endeavour by Rebecca Foundation and the ASR Africa initiative, to construct eight libraries in various communities across the country as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June 2021.
Under the MoU, a grant of $500,000 is being provided by ASR Africa to support the educational initiatives of the Foundation.
ASR Africa is an initiative of a Nigerian industrialist and philanthropist, Abdul Samad Rabiu, to give back to the African continent through the promotion of sustainable healthcare, education, and social development.
Addressing the gathering at the commissioning ceremony, Mrs Akufo-Addo, thanked the chiefs and people of Osenase, and the Member of Parliament for the area, Mr Charles Acheampong, as well as the Municipal assembly for their tremendous support in seeing to the successful completion of the library project.
She also urged the traditional leaders and elders in the area to encourage their wards to make proper use of the facility as they await the completion of the other libraries.
“I am very excited to see the completion of this ultra-modern library facility at Osenase here in the Eastern region. This is indeed a dream come true.
“I advise the children in this community and its environs to make good use of this facility since it will go a long way to help their future,” she said.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said the Learning to Read, Reading to Learn initiative is to support the Government to achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Mr Ubon Udoh, Managing Director of ASR Africa, expressed gratitude to the Rebecca Foundation for the wonderful partnership, assuring that his organisation would do its possible best to see to the completion of the other four libraries.
“We at ASR Africa are happy to partner the Rebecca Foundation in the construction of the four libraries, and we would surely do more with the foundation,” he said.
The MP for the area on behalf of the Constituency and the Region commended the First Lady for the library project and for the many other “good works done through Rebecca Foundation in supporting women and children in the various parts of the country.”
“On behalf of my people, chiefs and elders of Osenase, I say a very big thank you to Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo for the kind heart you have for women and children in the country. We have seen all the massive works you and your partners are doing to help our various communities, and we appreciate it.
“I also want to take the opportunity to thank ASR Africa for their financial support to see to the completion of the ultra-modern library in my Constituency,” he said.
GNA