On 30th January 2019, the executive director of CESRUD, Mr. Rex Asanga (in the picture, at right), the coordinator of CESRUD/FAVL Ghana libraries, Mr. Paul Ayutoliya, and the Upper East Regional Librarian, Mr. Leslie Kasanga (in the picture, at left) met with the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Honourable Joseph Amiyuure (in the picture, center) at his office. The purpose was to discuss how the Municipal Assembly might support the three community libraries.
Briefing the MCE on his meeting with the Ghana Library Authority in Accra, Rex said that the Ghana Library Authority was ready to support the three community libraries but that they could only do that through the respective Assemblies; that is the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly where Sumbrungu and Sherigu community libraries are located and the Bongo District Assembly where the Gowrie-Kunkua community library is located. In others words, the respective assemblies should play some supportive roles in these libraries, taking care of the staffing for instance, and they (GhLA) could come in with say the technical assistance like training of librarians, donations of books and other learning materials. Rex noted that FAVL has been the main donor taking care of almost everything in the libraries, and CESRUD focus is on the long sustainability of the community libraries hence the search for other support.
The MCE was happy about the idea of community libraries and assured us that he will do what he can do in his capacity as the MCE to get the needed support. He suggested we could let the librarians or person who are qualified to apply for the NABCO program currently ongoing in Ghana. He also spoke about National Youth Employment (NYE) which the librarians without tertiary qualification can also try applying. He inquired to know whether there available lands to put up buildings for the Sumbrungu and Sherigu Community libraries in the future, is something he said we should be thinking towards it going into the future, and that perhaps he could factored it in the next assembly budget to see if it will go through. The MCE also suggested if we could contact the Ministry of Education to see probably if they can support in the area of infrastructure. The MCE ended by saying, we should write formally to his office of all the support that we asking for the purpose of records.
The Regional Librarian Mr. Leslie Kasanga who went with us backed us in our request for support; he told the MCE he was impressed about the respective libraries when he recently visited them for assessment purposes. He also seized the opportunity to inform the MCE of this year being declared as a year of reading and that they will be inviting him to the launching of the program in the Regional Library when the date is fixed.
It was a good meeting and FAVL and CESRUD are looking forward to more collaboration and support with the MCE!
