One of the most significant causes of Africa’s underdevelopment is our aversion to knowledge and data, a former presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Arthur Kennedy has said.

According to him, if Africa had active, well-informed leaders and citizens, Africa would be much further along than we are.

"Let us read to open our minds and our hearts to new ideas, new perspectives and new people,” the author of controversial ‘Chasing the elephant into the bush’ book advised.

"My friends, read, read, read. It will make you and the world better,” he added.

Dr. Kennedy confessed to having read just 20 of a list of 100 greatest books of all time published by the New York Times a few years ago, a feeling he described as humbling.

"I want to commend all those who find the time to read and to write,” he said.

Reading about the work of others, Dr. Arthur Kennedy noted makes all of us better; regardless of whether we are doctors, lawyers, accountants or politicians.

"Reading has made such a difference to my life. Since I walked into that small library at OKESS, which fuelled my love of books, I have had a love affair with books,” he revealed.

In a brief statement in support of the Ghana Association of writers book festival (GAWBOFEST) at PAWA house in Accra, Dr Kennedy reminded that, ‘he who will not read has no advantage over he who cannot read’.