Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Hon. Elizabeth K.T Sackey, has urged the general public to leverage on the Accra World Book Capital title to help improve and bridge the literacy gap while promoting the rich Ghanaian cultural heritage.

The first female Mayor of Accra said this yesterday at an event organised in Accra by “Engage Now Africa”, a non-governmental organisation to mark the 56th international literacy day celebration on the theme: Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces. 

According to her activities lined up for the year, would see the introduction of mobile libraries to reach marginalised groups, and events to promote the reading and writing of books in different Ghanaian languages adding that these activities could go a long way to bridge the literacy gap. 

She emphasised that literacy was a unique and effective mechanism to eradicate poverty and bring development.

 Peter Antwi Boasiako Deputy Director General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET),  in a remark, said Ghana was on course to building centres of excellence in technical universities and TVET institutions in all regional capitals to help propel the country beyond foreign aid through industry-led and demand-driven competent-based training for the country’s growing youthful population.

He reiterated that the government was determined to reposition the country as a hub of the West African Sub-region's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) workforce.

He used the opportunity to advise parents to take a keen interest in the skills training of their wards for them to be self-reliant.  

Mrs Cecilia Amankwa, Country Director of “Engage Now Africa”, acknowledged the advantages of literacy adding that the value addition that education bears on nations' development could not be underemphasized.

She said literacy was a liberating tool that could transform individuals, families, and nations. 

"Over the years, I have witnessed how lives have changed and destinies restored through the instrumentality of literacy. The evidence I present before you is not loaned historical facts but situations with which I have interacted and engaged...” Engage Now Africa” has complemented literacy with vocational skills, it stands to equip the learner to be empowered completely to take charge of their destiny," she said.  

International Literacy Day, designated by UNESCO in 1967, is an annual awareness day which marks the importance of literacy to all countries and cultures. It takes place annually on the 8th of September.

International Literacy Day 2022 will focus on Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond, focusing on the role of educators and changing teaching practices. This means that this year the day is more relevant than ever to teachers and the challenges of teaching literacy that COVID-19 has brought, and future-proof approaches to teaching that might be adopted.