Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, has called for increased national investment in literacy, describing reading as a key human rights and development issue critical to empowering young people and advancing national development.

“Reading is power. Reading is liberation. Reading is transformation,” he said.

“A child who can read can better understand their rights. A young person who reads is less vulnerable to manipulation, misinformation, crime, and exploitation.”

He made the call at the maiden Ghana Literacy Fair 2026 held at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC)-Atomic in Accra, where education stakeholders urged coordinated action to address Ghana’s declining reading culture.

The three-day fair, which climaxed with a national launch under the theme: “Unleashing the Power of Reading to Transform Ghanaian Students and Youth,” brought together more than 3,000 participants, including schoolchildren, educators, policymakers, development partners and civil society actors. Activities included reading and speech marathons, storytelling sessions, choreography performances and mentorship engagements aimed at promoting literacy among young people.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, Technical Advisor Prof. George K. T. Oduro said reading remains the foundation of all learning and stressed that weak literacy skills affect performance across all subjects.

He disclosed that available data indicates that only about eight per cent of pupils in Primary Two and Three demonstrate foundational literacy skills, while more than 60 per cent fail to achieve minimum proficiency by the end of primary school. He warned that pupils who do not attain reading proficiency by Primary Three risk academic difficulties and school dropout.

“The cost of inaction is high,” he said, adding that government is implementing curriculum reforms, phonics-based instruction, teacher training, and the use of Ghanaian languages in early-grade learning to improve literacy outcomes.

Executive Director of the Sophia Boadi Readathon International Foundation (SBRIF), Ms. Sophia Boadi, described literacy challenges as a national emergency and announced the launch of the National Readathon Challenge, targeting 500,000 students across the 16 regions within 12 months.

She said the initiative would also train 5,000 teachers and establish 100 libraries, and called for stronger policy support for literacy programmes. “We need more than presence; we need policy,” she said, urging government to integrate the Ghana Literacy Fair and related initiatives into the national education calendar.

Secretary-General of the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), Dr. Wale Okediran, encouraged students to embrace reading and writing beyond examinations and to promote indigenous languages as part of preserving African identity.

National Director of the Schools Outreach Ministry of the Church of Pentecost, Pastor Frank Mensah Tandoh, stressed the need to combine academic development with moral upbringing and mentorship for children.

Dr. Wemakor, who is also Convener of the Youth Sub-Platform of the Ghana Civil Society Organisations Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said literacy must be treated as a fundamental right, noting that it empowers individuals to understand their rights and resist misinformation and exploitation.

He said: “Reading is power. Reading is liberation. Reading is transformation,” and added that literacy equips young people to make informed decisions and contribute meaningfully to national development.

He further called for increased investment in school libraries, digital learning tools and sustained literacy interventions, urging stakeholders to move from rhetoric to practical action.

The Ghana Literacy Fair 2026 was organised by the Sophia Boadi Readathon International Foundation (SBRIF) in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Pan-African Writers Association, the Schools Outreach Ministry (SOM), Pentecost University and other stakeholders committed to promoting literacy and youth development.

Participants expressed optimism that the initiative would help strengthen Ghana’s reading culture and improve literacy outcomes among children and young people.

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