ACCRA, Ghana, July 14, 2026 – The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called for renewed national efforts to cultivate a strong reading culture among young people, urging parents, schools, publishers and other stakeholders to work together to inspire children to read and develop a lifelong love for books.
The Minister made the call when a delegation from the Ghana International Book Fair (GIBF) Secretariat, Board and Planning Committee paid a courtesy call on the Ministry to discuss preparations for the fair and explore stronger collaboration to promote literacy, culture and Ghana’s creative economy.
Responding to concerns raised by the delegation, Hon. Gomashie reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the Ghana International Book Fair and advancing initiatives that encourage reading across the country.
“There is a special bond between myself and the Ghana International Book Fair for a very simple reason: I love reading,” the Minister said, describing books as powerful tools that broaden perspectives, deepen cultural understanding and nurture creativity.
She expressed concern over the declining reading habits among young people and challenged publishers to work more closely with the wider creative industry, stressing that writers, publishers, musicians, dancers, fashion designers and other creative practitioners are all part of the same cultural ecosystem and should collaborate to strengthen Ghana’s creative economy.
Hon. Gomashie also disclosed that the Government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, has allocated GH¢20 million to support the creative arts sector through the appropriate agencies. She encouraged industry players to build strategic partnerships and demonstrate the sector’s contribution to national development.
Earlier, speaking on behalf of the Ghana International Book Fair Secretariat, Board and Planning Committee, Mr. Ernest Oppong commended the Ministry for launching the revised Cultural Policy of Ghana, describing it as a significant policy framework for the country’s creative and cultural industries.
He explained that the Ghana International Book Fair, established in 1996 and organised annually since 2005, has become an important platform for promoting literacy, books, culture and Ghana’s cultural heritage by bringing together readers, authors, publishers and exhibitors from Ghana and abroad.
According to Mr. Oppong, the fair features discounted book sales, reading sessions, workshops, debate competitions and other educational activities aimed at making reading enjoyable for children and young people.
He, however, identified inadequate exhibition space as one of the event’s biggest challenges, noting that rising operational costs had compelled organisers to relocate the fair from the Trade Fair Centre and the Accra International Conference Centre to the National Theatre of Ghana.
Following the Minister’s remarks, the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Yussif Issaka Jajah, held further discussions with the delegation and assured the organisers of the Ministry’s continued support.
Also present at the meeting were the Chief Director of the Ministry, Joseph K. Amoah, the Director of Culture and Creative Arts, Divine Owusu-Ansah, and officials from the Ministry’s Culture and Creative Arts Unit.
Source: PR Unit- MoTCCA
