Board Chair of Ghana Library Authority, Dr Helena Asamoah-Hassan, says the time for Ghana to have a national library is long overdue attributing the negative behaviour of some Ghanaians to the lack of reading.

According to her, there are so many positive values hidden in books and past cultures but because Ghanaians are not reading, many people only exhibit negative values.

Speaking on What is Next? with Rev Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, she said, “because we are not reading the human nature itself is bad so we bring whatever is in us and we put out there but when you read, look for authentic information, it will move your mind towards positive and productive things.”

Dr Asamoah-Hassan who is also the Executive Director for All African Libraries further noted that the lack of reading culture by Ghanaians has taken the country to a stage where important matters are put behind while people chase after “momentary things and things which are sensational.”

“As a country, we have to go back to the basics and take reading seriously for productive things,” she added.

Dr Asamoah-Hassan called for the provision of a national library as libraries have a role to play in national development

“Ghana is long overdue… there are other countries with national libraries and we don’t have one. I’m appealing to those who are responsible that this is key, we need a national library of Ghana and there many things that the national library can do for the country,” she said.

She added that “the people in the country must be well vexed in what is happening either in their various vocations or generally and in libraries, we provide access to information… you cannot say that you’re going to have effective development of the nation when you cut off the library.”