Adwinsa Publications, in partnership with the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), has launched the maiden edition of the Adwinsa Children’s Book and Art Festival in Accra to mark this year’s World Children’s Day.
The event is aimed at encouraging young learners to cultivate a lifelong interest in books through creative activities, improved access to reading materials and stronger collaboration among educational institutions.
It brought together pupils, teachers, librarians, authors, policymakers and parents to highlight the importance of literacy and cultural education in national development.
Skill
Delivering the keynote address, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, John Setor Dumelo, emphasised the importance of reading as a foundational skill for personal development.
He said growing up, he did not enjoy reading, and as a result, many things eluded him.
However, serving in Parliament had compelled him to read extensively to stay informed and carry out his duties.
Mr Dumelo encouraged the pupils to read regularly, recommending at least one book a month, or more for those capable.
The Chief Executive Officer of Adwinsa Publications, Kwaku Oppong-Amponsah, said last Thursday that the festival was the fulfilment of a long-held dream aimed at celebrating children, literature and the arts.
Mr Oppong-Amponsah said Adwinsa had heavily invested in the digitisation of its books, many of which are now available as e-books and audiobooks on various online platforms.
Challenge
Mr Oppong-Amponsah appealed to the government to prioritise the purchase of storybooks, especially those in Ghanaian languages, to encourage reading among children.
He said Adwinsa had produced books in more than 11 local languages, but demand was low because many parents and schools preferred English language materials that directly prepared students for examinations.
“Publishers produce books, but many of these books remain in warehouses. If government channels resources into buying storybooks, especially those in local languages, it will promote reading and also create employment because the publishing sector has the potential to engage thousands of people,” he said.
The Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, Alhassan Betintiche Ziblim, said the festival underscored a shared commitment to nurturing confident, imaginative and lifelong learners.
He stated that although the children’s book industry in the country had grown significantly, there remained a gap between the production of books and their use for leisure reading, making it necessary to create engaging platforms such as the festival to motivate children.
Mr Ziblim announced that the National Children and Mobile Library now operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., moving beyond the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. model to support the 24-hour economy.
That, he said, gave children more flexibility to use reading spaces and access learning resources.
