Ghana Literary Prize Foundation Inaugurated


The Ghana Literary Prize Foundation has been launched to bring back the spirit of creative entrepreneurship by encouraging Ghanaian writers, readers, publishers, literary societies, thinkers, and marketers of literature into a new and exciting wave of improvement and growth.

The Foundation, a non-governmental organization, will be developed for the promotion and advancement of Ghanaian Society through literature.

However, the focus of the Ghana Literary Prize Foundation is aimed at promoting creative writing and reading culture for advancing literacy in the Ghanaian society.

The success of this new venture was jointly initiated by Kobena Dannis, an international business man, Patience Penu, an Events Manager, Caroline Pomeyie, Student at Ghana Institute of Journalism, Selasie Davis, Post Student Graduate of GIMPA, Chinaka Iwuoha, Media Executive, and Bola Olalere, Media Consultant & published writer.

The Special Guest of the event, Mama Africa noted that the decline in reading in our society is becoming alarming, hence the need to introduce an exciting, stimulating and rewarding activity to change that trend and celebrate the best authors in the three major genre of literature (Poetry, Prose and Drama).

According to her, the new brand will go a long way in endearing average members of our society towards creative writing, reading, and book publishing which will be embraced by the old and young with the substantial rewarding of prizes.

She however expressed that the new initiative will curb mental laziness and encourage young emerging talents in the nation.

The Prize Awarding Event will serve as a means of showcasing to the world the best and latest of literary works and talents coming out of Ghana and will also make the shortlisted works attractive to the general public in the nation and beyond.

This, she added, will support local writers and make creative writing an economically viable profession, which can re-capture the attention of the youth to reading and creative writing.

Mama Africa, therefore appealed to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Publishers Association of Ghana, Ghana Writers Association and Media for support and collaboration towards achievement of their goals and aims.

‘We shall solicit for funds and support from the appropriate quarters to ensure that our goal of uplifting the Ghanaian intellectual and literary society will be actualized, and look forward to getting the Ghanaian nation behind us for this is a noble project,’ Mama Africa posited.

On the diaspora, she appreciated the likes of some Nigerian writers such as Chimamanda Adichie, Uwem Akpan whose book was nominated for book of the month by Oprah Winfrey in her talk show in September 2009, Chika Unigwe who won the LNG prize for literature in Nigeria last year.

Therefore, the need to replicate similar platform in Ghana and beyond to promote the culture of literature and creative writing in the emerging youth.

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