OCRC Finalists Court Public Support Ahead of Finals
Finalists of the Otumfuo Community Reading Challenge (OCRC) have appealed for public support as they aim to win the ultimate prize.
They appealed during an appearance on the Oseikrom Kwanso show on Opemsuo Radio, where they called on their respective communities, schoolmates, friends and families to rally behind them.
They urged their supporters to back them with prayers ahead of the grand finale scheduled for Friday, October 2, 2026.
Five contestants are currently in the running for the top prize. They are Samuel Opoku Kyeremeh, representing Barekese; Stephanie Agyeiwaa, representing Duayaw Nkwanta; Joycelyn Akosua Manu Duah, representing Oduom; Magdalene Duodu Akwabang, representing Twedie; and Randy Boakye Yiadom, representing Kumawu.
The contestants pledged to put up a strong fight at the finale.
Speaking during the interview on September 29, 2026, Senior Management Official at the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation, Mr Kwabena Owusu Ababio, and Project Manager, Tweneboah Kodua, shared the evolution of the OCRC.
Mr Ababio said the project started during the COVID-19 era when officials visited communities to donate books to students.
He explained that in a follow-up assessment in the post-pandemic era, they realised the students were not reading the books, which prompted the introduction of a reading challenge as motivation.
According to him, the initiative was later revamped after it was observed that multiple winners were emerging from the same school or district.
The Foundation therefore collaborated with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure broader representation.
“The GES then made the selection from schools in a particular district for the students to challenge themselves so the winner would be picked from there to represent that district instead of communities,” they recounted.
Story by Yvonne Owusu Afriyie
