Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Professor Stephen Adei, says literacy is the best chance for any country at propelling its development.

The renowned publisher who was speaking at the on-going Ghana International Book Fair stated that the benefits of literacy extends beyond an individual and goes as far as affecting a country.

He said being literate among other things, is one’s best chance of changing their personal and social situations as well as making them fit to engage in political engagements. He added that literacy also benefits an individual economically.

“It is like tonic; you use it as a base for almost every other thing. Acquisition of knowledge thereafter and also improves your chances at being employed and having higher income for the rest of your life.”

He lamented the level of attention given to literacy in the country, saying he believes Ghana should be doing things differently by doing “far less of certain things and more of getting children to be literates if we knew the importance of literacy”.

Professor Adei said, the trend of producing generations of functional illiterates is a damage to the country.

”I personally think that getting our people literate is so important not only for their personal development but for the good of the country,” he stated.

He therefore appealed to the nation to make literacy a number one priority and called for the support of the nation in his yet to be launched crusade, which he says will seek to make Ghanaian children literate at six years.

The 17th Ghana International Book Fair is being held from today, 29th August to 1st September 2019 between 9AM and 7PM each day at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.

This year’s edition has over one-hundred and ninety publishers including local and foreign publishers participating in the fair with books of all genres selling at highly discounted prices.