Literate population to deepen Ghana’s democracy – Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi

• Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi says Ghana can develop with a literate population

• He said, they can influence voting patterns during elections

• He made this known at the International Literacy Day at Techiman in the Bono East Region

Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, former Education Minister, has argued that it is only the literate population that can digest issues to influence the voting patterns during elections to deepen the country’s democracy.

Speaking at this year’s International Literacy Day at Techiman in the Bono East Region, the Board Chairman of the Public Procurement Authority said, “how wonderful would it appear if we get to a level where democracy in this country provided us with an opportunity to look at issues rather than to depend on GH¢5 or GH¢10 in deciding where to vote. We can achieve this only when we achieve some level of literacy.”

Commending the Ministry of Education for bringing about the needed transformation to the Non-Formal Division and recounting the role the Department of Social Welfare and the Information Service Department played in educating a large number of the population, Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi stated that, “it is important that we commend the Non-Formal Division together with the Education Ministry for the tremendous roles they played in educating the people who have not had the opportunity to be in school whilst they were young.”

Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, who is also aspiring for the NPP Chairmanship, further acknowledged the efforts being made by the management of the then NFED to help a huge percent of the youth who were running through the streets without formal education.

He called on Ghanaians to acknowledge the impact of COVID-19 as a global pandemic and come out with more technological initiatives to mitigate its impact on the local economy.

“The theme for this occasion is drawing our attention to how COVID-19 has disrupted almost every activity of the human existence including principal education. We have to therefore be quite innovative in finding ways of using virtual means of doing things to benefit ourselves and the community we live in,” the former Techiman North MP said.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the free access to knowledge provided by Information, Communication and Technology to develop themselves.