Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) , Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor has called for urgent and sustained national investment in literacy, warning that Ghana’s reading challenges must be treated as both a human rights and development priority.
He made the appeal at the maiden Ghana Literacy Fair 2026 held at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC)-Atomic in Accra, where stakeholders in education, civil society and development partners gathered to discuss solutions to the country’s declining reading culture.
The three-day event, 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 and development actors.
Dr. Wemakor who also serves as Convener of the Youth Sub-Platform of the Ghana Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) said literacy must be understood beyond classroom instruction, describing it as a foundation for empowerment and civic participation.
“Literacy is not just about reading and writing; it is about empowerment, dignity, and the ability of every young person to fully participate in society and protect themselves from manipulation and misinformation,” he said.
He added that strengthening the country’s reading culture is critical to national development and youth resilience.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, Technical Advisor Prof. George K. T. Oduro described reading as the foundation of all learning, noting that weak literacy skills continue to affect academic performance across all subjects.
He revealed that only about eight per cent of pupils in Primary Two and Three demonstrate foundational literacy skills, while over 60 per cent fail to reach minimum proficiency by the end of primary education.
“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 outcomes.
Executive Director of the Sophia Boadi Readathon International Foundation (SBRIF), Ms. Sophia Boadi, described literacy as a national emergency and announced the National Readathon Challenge aimed at reaching 500,000 students nationwide.
She called for stronger policy backing for literacy initiatives, urging government to formally integrate reading programmes into the national education calendar.
Other speakers, including Dr. Wale Okediran of the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA) and Pastor Frank Mensah Tandoh of the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry, also emphasized reading, writing, mentorship and moral development as key pillars of youth empowerment.
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
