Volta Regional Library faces eviction

The Volta Regional Library has received eviction notices from the Bankoe Evangelical Presbyterian Junior High School in Ho, whose Home Science Department is hosting the Regional Library.

According to the Volta Regional Librarian, Mr Guy Amarteifio, authorities of the Bankoe E.P. Church and the Basic School had met with management of the Library severally to take the facility back for use by the school.

He described the situation as “pathetic” as the Library Authority was preparing to celebrate 2019 as the year of reading with activities to reach more readers.

“…We are unable to serve a chunk of the society because of the current state of our library and if we are sacked from this place too, then we do not know where to go,” Mr Amarteifio lamented.

Mr Eric Setsofia Biaku, Clerk, Bankoe E.P. Church, Ho, said the Church was still in talks with the Library Authorities to reclaim its Home Science Department.

The Bankoe E.P. Basic School in 2003 gave its Home Science Department to the Regional Library for temporary use after the old library building was demolished to make way for an ultra-modern library facility for the Region.

The new library project, which started in 2003 is said to be 85 per cent complete but has allegedly been locked contractor because his certificates were not honoured.

The new Regional Library funded by GETFund has an Information Communication Technology department, administration, adults’ library, children’s library, circulation department and a 200 reading area capacity.  

Though, yet to be completed, checks by GNA indicated that portions of the edifice, which had been abandoned since 2016 has parts of its roof leaking with some broken floor tiles.

Meanwhile some clients of the Regional Library complained about the discomfort they faced in the makeshift library, which is near a public toilet and a rubbish dump.

They also lamented about the limited space in the library room and lack of furniture.