Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, on Friday urged the citizenry to develop a strong culture of reading, which she described as a powerful instrument for national transformation.

Madam Gomashie made the call in a speech read on her behaf at the opening of the 23rd Ghana International Book Fair in Accra, themed:” Transforming Ghana’s Future Through Books”

She noted that for children and young people in particular, developing a strong reading culture was one of the most important investments the country could make for its future.

“Reading is not merely an academic exercise; it is a powerful instrument for national transformation. It broadens our minds, strengthens our capacity to think critically, exposes us to new ideas and enables us to understand the experiences of other people and societies,” the Minister stated.

She cited South Korea’s development journey and the Korean War, where it embarked on an ambitious national development programme through the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement), which promoted diligence, self-help, cooperation and continuous learning at the community level.

Madam Gomashie said Korea’s remarkable progress was supported by a wider culture that valued education, knowledge acquisition and reading.

“The lesson for Ghana is not that we should simply copy the Korean experience, but that human capital and knowledge must be at the centre of national development,” she said.

“Countries do not develop sustainably merely because they build roads, bridges and factories; they develop because they develop people who can think, innovate, create, solve problems and transmit knowledge from one generation to another.”

The Minister called for deliberate efforts to make reading fashionable and accessible, especially for children and young people, encouraging them to read beyond textbooks and explore Ghanaian literature, African literature, science, history, biographies, technology and creative arts.

Mr Edward Yaw Udzu, Chairman, Ghana International Book Fair, said the Fair had become an important platform for publishers, authors, booksellers, librarians, educators, printers and readers to exchange ideas and celebrate the written word.

He said the industry was also being reshaped by digital technology, Artificial Intelligence, electronic publishing and audiobooks, urging stakeholders to embrace innovation while preserving the values that made books meaningful.

Mr Udzu mentioned high cost of production, limited financing, piracy, inadequate distribution and declining reading habits as some of the industry’ s challenges, which required coordinated national attention and collective action.

He appealed to the Government to sustain policies that strengthened publishing and libraries.

He urged publishers to invest in quality Ghanaian content, writers to tell Ghanaian stories boldly, and parents to make books part of children’s everyday life.

The Chairman encouraged teachers, educationists and librarians to continue to nurture the reading culture and help young people discover the power of knowledge and for booksellers to explore innovative ways to reach new audiences.

“To our young people, my message is simple: read widely, think deeply and dream boldly. The books you read today may contain the ideas that will shape Ghana tomorrow,” he added.

Mr Udzu commended the Government, private-sector institutions, development partners and other stakeholders whose support enabled the publishing and book ecosystem to grow.

The Fair, which started on Thursday, August 27, will end on Sunday, August 30.