The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has handed over the Children’s and Mobile Library located at the Airport Residential Area in Accra to the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA).

The multipurpose facility was handed over to the Authority during a short ceremony in Accra.

The library, which is one of its kind in the West African sub-region, brings the number of libraries in the country to 114. 

Speaking during the event, the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, noted that the Trust has made some considerable investments in Ghana’s education sector and the addition of the multipurpose library is one more addition to the Trust’s support to the sector. 

He explained that the library facility will go a long way to complement the efforts of the GhLA as they work to achieve their mission to connect all Ghanaians to knowledge resources to improve computer literacy and development among children.

“This facility will contribute to better learning outcomes for children and broaden their outlook for the development of a skilled future workforce and will also serve as a resource base for children and teachers in the immediate community and beyond”. 

“It will also promote reading, computer literacy, improve access of children to libraries, encourage reading, research and creativity among children in Ghana – who are considered potential future Members of the Scheme,” he said.

Earlier this year, SSNIT and the Ghana Education Service (GES) in partnership with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) launched supplementary readers on social security for high schools across the country.

“Our interest is not only to foster national development, but we also have an interest in ensuring that the young ones are also educated about social security”, Dr Ofori-Tenkorang noted.

In April this year, the facility was temporarily handed over to the Authority to begin a test run and prepare for its eventual opening. 

The facility comes with state-of-the-art disability facilities and devices installed for visually impaired children.

The project consists of an early childhood development section for ages 4-5, a section for children aged 6-12 and a teenagers section for 13-16 years.

Additionally, the library has administrative offices, an audio-visual section, a computer laboratory, reading space, multipurpose conference room, an electronic library, parents’ waiting area, first aid section, media viewing centre and a cafeteria.

Furniture has also been provided and items installed include computers and accessories, printed and electronic books, an automated self-service solution, CCTV cameras and a customised e-library van (Mobile Library Van).

The Deputy Director-General of SSNIT in charge of Investment and Development, Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo, underscored the importance of the facility in the development of children.

He noted that the library is conceptualised as an information centre for children.

He said the facility does not only provide resources in a physical location but also has an e-library that delivers library services to the doorstep of children who cannot access the physical library.

“This will help improve access of children to libraries and encourage reading and learning, Mr Osafo-Maafo added.

On his part, the Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, Hayford Siaw, commended the Trust for providing such an ultramodern learning facility for children and promised that the facility will be properly maintained and inure to the benefit of all.