The Rotary Club of Accra Legon East has handed over a refurbished and fully equipped Okaikoi Community Library in the Okaikoi South District to the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) to enhance literacy and access to knowledge.
The project, funded through donations and partnerships, aims to provide a modern, safe and inclusive learning space for residents, particularly students, while strengthening reading culture and community development in the area.
The Okaikoi Community Library serves multiple schools, including the St Joseph Anglican School, the Kaneshie Bishop School, the St Nicholas Preparatory School, the Class Peter Memorial School and the Graceland Preparatory School.
Commitment
At a ceremony to hand over the facility, the President of the Rotary Club of Accra Legon East, Emmanuel Sessou, said the project reflected Rotary’s commitment to advancing literacy and empowering communities through education.
He said the library, which recorded 6,556 users in 2025 and 881 in February 2026 alone, was expected to attract over 8,000 patrons this year.
“That is why we are proud to donate a curated collection of African Readers books to this library — books that reflect our stories, our values, cultures and aspirations.
These resources will inspire children and adults alike,” he said, emphasising the collaborative effort behind the project, which cost over GH¢200,000.
“I therefore call on all of us — community leaders, educators, parents and Rotarians — to actively champion this library.
Encourage regular visits, support reading programmes, volunteer time, and help sustain this vital resource.
Together we are empowering the next generation of readers,” Mr Sessou said.
Literacy development
The Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, Ziblim Alhassan Betintiche, described the refurbishment as a major boost to literacy development and access to information.
He recalled that the library, established in 2004, had deteriorated over time, necessitating urgent intervention through a partnership with Rotary.
He commended the club for its timely support and called on corporate bodies and individuals to support the Authority’s “Adopt a Library Programme” to bridge gaps in underserved districts.
“Even though the Ghana Library Authority has increased the national library network to 140 branches, there are still about 170 MMDAs in Ghana without libraries, thereby denying citizens in these MMDAs the opportunity to benefit from the wide range of library services.
Let us build our country together by establishing libraries to store knowledge for future generations,” Mr Betintiche added.
He therefore appealed for proper maintenance systems to be implemented and further support to complete an ICT centre.
The Director of Pre-Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education and a member of the GhLA Board, Nana Baffour Awuah, said the facility symbolised opportunity, innovation and hope for the community.
He stressed that libraries remained central to knowledge development and national progress, serving as hubs for creativity, research and lifelong learning.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh