Accra, April 17, GNA - Major Amarkai Amarteifio (Rtd), Dean of the Consul-Generals in Ghana on Saturday, presented books on various subjects and two computers with accessories estimated at 15 million cedis to the Ga Mashie Community library at Bukom in Accra.

Speaking at the presentation, Major Amarteifio who is also a Legal Practitioner said the donation was to encourage the young people in the area to acquire the habit of reading to improve their social standing to face modern challenges.

He described education as the key to the future and a way of escaping poverty and other social disadvantages and getting young people off the street.

"My contribution as a son of the soil is a way of showing an example to others who trace their roots to Bukom to look in the direction of Bukom," he said adding that, it was also to assist in uplifting the image of the community.

Major Amarteifio who is the Consul of Sweden in Ghana called on the government to apply some of the HIPC Funds to "depressed urban areas such as Bukom" since there were many distressed and depressed situations in such places than in rural areas.

Mr Samuel Nii Ayikwei Mankattah, MP for Odododiodoo who received the donation urged the management of the library to encourage as many members of the community as possible to use the facility. He appealed to well meaning Gas to donate books especially Ga-Dangbe ones to promote the study of the language.

The MP urged parents and guardians in the area to encourage their children and wards to make regular use of the library and promised to reward school children and students who patronised the facility often to serve as an incentive to promote education in the area. Mr Mankattah said the donation was only the beginning and stated that he had made contacts both locally and outside to stock the library with books and other modern facilities.

The Ga Mashie Centre for Education and Environmental Development Project (GACEED) established the library with the assistance of the Social Investment Fund (SIF). 17 April 05