Writers urged to use literary works to solve societal problems

By Benjamin Adamafio Commey/Eric Appah Marfo, GNA

Accra, March 4, GNA - Mr Francis Kwesi Gbormittah, President of the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW), has charged Ghanaian writers, particularly media practitioners to use their work to find solutions to society’s many problems for national development.

He said writers wielded a lot of power and if used judiciously and creatively could impact positively on society and therefore urged them to find linkage between reading and writing and societal issues like poverty, ignorance and superstition that hindered development.

Mr Gbormittah made the call at the launch of this year’s Ghana Literary Awards in Accra.

The awards, organised by the National Executive Committee of GAW seeks to offer writers the opportunity to have their literary works reviewed to promote excellence in literary works in the country.

“As writers, we impact or affect society in various ways, but if today we still have issues related to superstition, poverty and ignorance, it means we have fallen short in our mandate and need to address some of these through the works we produce. I am very sure that we can address some of these through writing.

“Therefore, as writers and journalists we should challenge ourselves by finding the linkages between writing on one hand and ignorance, poverty and superstition on the other and through this we can help society,” he said.

Mr Gbormittah, who is also a Board Member of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said as part of efforts to instill reading and writing discipline in the Ghanaian youth, the Association with permission from the Ghana Education Service (GES), had established 15 literary clubs in some Senor High Schools across the country.

He said the Association had plans to organise similar award events in these schools, first at the Regional and later at the National levels, and also engage students in quiz competitions like that of the National Science and Math Quiz.

He said the month of March was declared by the Association as the “Read Ghana Book” month to whip up reading interest in Ghanaians, particularly, the youth.

This year’s award would see writers compete for honours in 12 Categories namely; Novel (Ayi Kwei Armah), Short Story (Ama Ata Aidoo), Poetry (Atukwei Okai), Children’s Story Book (Efua Sutherland), Children’s Poetry (Kwesi Brew), Young Writer, not more than 25 years (Bill Okyere Marshall), Creative Non-Fiction (Kofi Awoonor) and Staged Drama (Efo Kodzo Mawugbe),

Others include; Video and Audio Spoken word named after Kofi Anyidoho, Video and Audio Script writing (Kwaw Ansah), Ghanaian Language special award (Kate Abbam), Science and Mathematics Textbook Writers special award (Jophus Anamuah-Mensah and Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey).

There will also be special awards such as the “Achievement Awards” and “Distinguished Service Awards” to honour writers who had contributed immensely to the development of the industry in the country.

Touching on the awards, Mr Gbormittah expressed satisfaction over the successes chalked, since its re-introduction in 2017, particularly in the quality of literary works produced after the awards ceremony lost continuity following its inception in 1987

He urged Ghanaians to cultivate the spirit of reading particularly Ghanaian literary works and urged parents to take keen interest in the reading and writing abilities of their wards

Ms Doris Adabasu Kuwornu, the Chairperson of the Ghana Literary Awards Committee, urged applicants to ensure that they met the Association’s criteria to avoid having their works rejected.

“Preferably, all works must be in English, except for works entered in the Ghanaian language special award category, and submitted by the Bureau of Ghana Languages (BGL).”

“It should also be accessible to the general reading public, but collections of short stories, poetry, essays by multiple authors or essays in newspapers, magazines, online or previously published and compiled into book format were not eligible,” she added.

This year’s awards event is slated for November 14 and will be held on the theme: “Honouring Literary Excellence.”

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