Valentina Mintah, Mustapha Hamid, Ken Amankwah and Matthew Opoku Prempeh
West Blue Consulting, a Ghanaian ICT solutions company, is providing funding for the construction and stocking of 60 modern public libraries across the country as part of activities to commemorate the country’s 60th independence anniversary.
Each region would get six libraries to be situated in deprived communities and the entire 60 would be completed within a year.
Minister of Education Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in his address at the launch of the library projects last Friday, commended West Blue for the support and revealed that Ghana currently has only 60 public libraries which were built over a period of 60 years.
He said for a single private company to offer to increase the number of Ghana’s libraries by another 60 which would be built within a period of one year is, indeed, welcoming news of great magnitude, and West Blue deserves to be applauded.
The education minister gave an assurance that the libraries would be put to the best use and properly maintained by the Ghana Libraries Board to ensure longevity.
He further explained the crucial importance of reading and its direct relation to the socio-economic development of a country.
The Chief Executive of West Blue Consulting, Valentina Mintah, stated at the launch that the company is funding the libraries as part of its social corporate responsibilities.
“As a proud African and fiercely Ghanaian ICT solutions company, we are very passionate about the role information; communication and technology plays in our society, and we believe that the Ghana@60 Library Programme will ensure that the marginalised groups in the selected areas are empowered with knowledge to participate fully and actively in society,” Madam Mintah added.
She continued… “With access to information and technology in their local communities, not only will community members be able to communicate -our girls will learn to embrace femininity whilst being strong, our boys mighty and constructive, and our youth, to dream big; complimented by sound life plans.
The adults and elderly will not be left out, especially the BBCs (born before computers). The Ghana@60 library programme will cater for them too, ensuring that they are up-skilled to participate in today’s technology world, whilst equipping them to effectively parent today’s Snapchat and Instagram child.”
