Former Foreign Minister Hackman Owusu Agyeman
A newly commissioned E-Library and Language Laboratory has been named after former Foreign Minister Hackman Owusu Agyeman.
The edifice, which is located inside the Foreign Affairs building, is to honour the former Minister for his selfless service to the nation.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration-designate, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, in her speech during the commissioning of the building, said that the move was also to fulfil the tradition of the Ministry.
“It is a tradition to name such facilities after illustrious statesmen and women who have paid their due to the development of our country. One such person is the former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Hon Hackman Owusu Agyeman. It is therefore fit and proper that this E-library is named after him,” she said.
The facilities
Ms Botchwey disclosed that the supply and installation of the E-library was undertaken by RFID Gate at the cost of GHC520,860 and funded from a grant obtained from the Chinese.
The E-Library has a 23-computer set-up and extra seating for easy reading and large screen for video conferencing. There is a 65inch TV and projector (linked by HDMI) for presentation and training.
The facility has also been equipped with a 10-inch tablet for screen mirroring and remote presentation. The E-Library is run on a Library Management System, which has security tags and registers the movement of all physical material.
“We have also taken the steps to ensure that it is connected and has subscription to leading library database quick reference and research,” the Foreign Minister-designate added.
Benefits
Ms Botchwey was confident that the E-Library will benefit staff of the Ministry and also contribute to boosting the overall productivity and enhance the capacity of officers “to effectively carry out their duties so that they can continue to remain abreast with the rapidly changing developments in the world.”
Furthermore, she said with the widening scope of Ghana’s bilateral and multilateral engagements, her outfit recognises the important role of language in facilitating relations between countries.
“The language laboratory will certainly give officers of the Ministry the unique opportunity to learn new languages. Already, the Ministry has been collaborating with the Embassy of Colombia in Accra to offer Spanish as a Foreign Language Course for Diplomats and other Public Servants. The 8th Edition of this course will commence soon,” the Minister added.
Ms Botchwey also noted the commitment of the Ministry to ensuring that the facility is properly managed and maintained.
“In this regard, the Ministry has requested the Ghana Library Authority to second an officer from their outfit to manage the facility. I also wish to urge officers of the Ministry to adhere to guidelines for the use of the E-Library, which are intended to prolong the lifespan of this new facility,” she pointed out.
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