The Nigerian Library Association (NLA) has appealed to President Tinubu to order the completion of the National library of Nigeria headquarters that has remained incomplete since the 2nd Republic.
The librarian noted that the project has been stalled despite the approval of funds by the President Muhammadu Buhari- government for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to complete it.
President and national chairman of the Association, Pastor Dominic Omokaro, made the appeal while addressing the press in Abuja on Thursday against its forthcoming 62nd National Conference and Annual General Meeting.
It will be recalled that the Library project was awarded in 2006 to Messes Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) and since then the project has suffered setbacks due to the inability of various administrations to release enough fund for its completion.
According to him, “The National Library started in 1982 BY Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s administration but successful governments have not taken interest in it for reasons best known to them.
“We engaged the federal government severally and to the glory of God, the immediate past administration of president Muhammadu Buhari found a need that the edifice should be completed and took it away from the federation account and asked TETFund to use their funding to complete the project.
“What is delaying it now is what we don’t know, but we are appealing to president Tinubu to help us and mandate TETFund to go ahead into completing that project because we understand that certain amount of money running into billions have been approved for the completion of that project,” the association said.
It further called on the federal and state governments, employers of Labour, and regulatory bodies in the Library and education sector to take immediate steps to remedy the anomalies facing Library in Nigeria.
The NLA said leadership positions in Libraries should be rightfully filled by qualified and certified librarians who possess the requisite knowledge, skills, and commitment to advance the field of librarianship in Nigeria.
“The Federal Government should through the office of the Head of Service of the Federation give employment waiver for the employment of Professional Librarians in the Federal Civil Service. State Governments should also do the same.
“The FCT Administration should help reinforce the Public and School library System and if possible, consider the establishment of the FCT Library Board for ease of management of the public library system in the FCT,” he said.
Omokaro further appealed to President Tinubu to “help restore hope to this critical sector that helps in shaping the needed manpower for national development by the restoration of a vibrant Library System in Nigeria by appointing a Special Adviser to the President on Library and Information Matters.”
He added that the individual who should also double as the Librarian of the Presidential Library as it was in the day of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
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