KEY POINTS
- Ghana has only 139 libraries for 35 million people.
- Authority seeks funding partnerships and a Library Fund.
- Digital resources deployed to revive reading culture.
Ghana has only 139 public libraries serving nearly 35 million people, a shortfall experts say is undermining efforts to use education and information access as drivers of development.
Acting Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), Ziblim Alhassan Betintiche, called the figure “woefully inadequate” for a country seeking to compete globally.
Library shortage hampers Ghana’s education drive
Betintiche said the country’s 16 regions collectively host only nine regional libraries, while some districts have none at all. He contrasted Ghana’s numbers with Lithuania, which has more than 1,200 libraries for just 2.9 million people.
“We must do everything possible as a state to increase our library numbers,” he said. “And not just libraries, but quality libraries that transform lives through innovation and resources.”
Partnerships, funding proposals to bridge gap
The GhLA is turning to both government and outside support to expand facilities. Partners include UNICEF, Book Aid International, Books for Africa, EIFL, and the Du Bois Centre.
Betintiche said the authority is also proposing a dedicated Library Fund to provide stable financing independent of government allocations. Corporate Ghana has been asked to “adopt libraries” to make them inclusive for children, the needy, and persons with disabilities.
Digital tools aim to revive reading culture
Betintiche acknowledged a waning reading culture, especially among youth, and said the authority is investing in technology to draw them back. Initiatives include a digital library app, ICT-equipped mobile library vans, and free training in coding and AI.
He said the authority is reviewing its 55-year-old governing law to align with global library management practices and is prioritizing the creation of a true National Library to serve as a heritage and research hub.
“Libraries are no longer just centres for reading, but for the transformation of people’s lives,” Betintiche said.
