Krobo-Ashanti, April 03, GNA - A community library rehabilitated and stocked at a cost of 20 million cedis was inaugurated at Krobo-Ashanti in the Sekyere West district.

Sekyere West Educational Development for Children (SWEDEC), a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), founded by Mrs Christiana Afrifa, widow of the late General Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa provided funds for the project.

Mrs Belinda Serwaa Addo, Ashanti Regional Director of Education, inaugurating the project, underscored the importance of community libraries for the success of the educational reforms. She commended Mrs Afrifa and management of SWEDEC for their foresight in providing the library in the area as their contribution towards the development of education.

Mrs Addo urged parents and guardians at Krobo-Ashanti and surrounding areas to encourage their children to take advantage of the library to improve on their vocabulary and reading skills. She called on the district assembly to provide furniture and assist in the payment of allowances to staff of the library. Mrs Gladys Amaning Kwarteng, Sekyere West District Director of Education, said enrolment in basic schools within the district increased from 31,818 in 2005 to 38,682 this year since the Capitation grant was introduced.

She said the district had received and disbursed 824 million cedis from the grant to schools.

Mrs Kwarteng commended SWEDEC for their efforts, and appealed to other philanthropists and NGOs to complement Government's efforts in providing infrastructure, furniture and textbooks to promote education. Miss Serwaa Afrifa, a Director of SWEDEC, said the NGO was established two years ago to improve on the level of basic education within the area and the district.

She said SWEDEC would create equal opportunities for rural children to have access to basic education, provide educational materials and introduce guest teachers outside the district to augment shortage of teachers in the rural communities.

Miss Afrifa said as part of a comprehensive package to address problems in making education more accessible, the NGO would introduce incentive packages for teachers.

Nana Dr Kofi Agyeman, Brewery Manager of Guinness Ghana Brewery Group, said the privileged in society owed it as a duty to give back to society what had been spent on them.

He commended the management of SWEDEC for the laudable initiative and urged others to emulate their exemplary foresight. Mr Agyei Amoana, Deputy Ghana High Commissioner to Canada, pledged to support the library with 10 personal computers and books.