Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies have been called upon to help develop the libraries in the country.

Mr Edward Ayagle Ayiriba, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, made the call during this year’s International Children’s Book Day held at the weekend in Bolgatanga.

He said the Constitutional Mandate of MMDAs is overwhelming and this explains why the individual District Assemblies should see the library service as one of their major functions to help improve the literacy rate.”

Mr Ayiriba expressed concern about the falling standard of education in the local areas and the inability of students and school leavers to express themselves in the English Language and attributed it to the lack of reading culture among students.

He called on MMDAs to ensure that they provided support in furnishing libraries, providing adequate accommodation, logistics among other to sustain the library service for the benefit of the entire society.

He called on stakeholders including the Ghana Education Service, NGOs, and religious groups to be actively involved in library programmes so as to achieve the desire results.

The Regional Librarian, Mr John Ayeseya, entreated parents to inculcate the habit of reading into their children and to also encourage them to patronize the library.

He commended the Management of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) for providing the library with 10 computers for Internet Services and another 5 computers for the trekking van for rural services.

Among the activities to mark the occasion included poetry recitals, drama, dancing and singing.

The occasion which is celebrated annually coincides with the celebration of the birthday of Hans Christian Anderson, a famous author who wrote about 156 books for children.