Concerns Grow Over Abandoned National Library Project

With each passing year, the shadows of uncertainty continues to loom larger over the completion of national library project, sparking growing concerns among citizens and stakeholders alike.

The abandoned library building now stands as a symbol of neglect, prompting deep concerns among stakeholders.

Moreover, the economic ramifications of the prolonged delay loom larger, with budget overruns and dollar to naira exchange rate reaching over N1,400, disillusionment has grown among educators, scholars, and students.

Today marks over 18 years since the project was first awarded in 2006 to Reynolds Construction at the cost of N8.5 billion.

The Federal Government re-awarded the project in March 2010 for 21 months at the cost of N49.6 billion, but the building is yet to be completed, LEADERSHIP gathered.

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Our investigations revealed that the issues with the funding of the project range from exchange rate fluctuations, and other variables.

The former President Muhammadu Buhari before he handed over power to president Bola Tinubu, approved the take-over and financing of the multi-billion library edifice by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

However, LEADERSHIP observed that there had not been any sign of progress at the site so far.

Also, Tahir Mamman, the Minister of education, on assumption of office in 2023, promised to ensure the  completion of the project by 2025, assuring that contractor in charge of the project would return to site to deliver the national edifice for the good of the citizenry.

“This project is too important for Nigerians and we have this project uncompleted for close to 20 years. We know the importance of a library not to talk about a national library,” he said.

“So, the decision is that everyone involved must come back to site.

“There are some issues here and there but the project will be completed in about 21 months. We are urging the construction company to deliver the project because we’ve dragged it for too long and the project is too important to be dragged any further.

“So, whatever is the obstacle in the project, we are determined to go over it,” he had said.

Chinwe Anunobi of the National Library identified bureaucratic bottlenecks to have hindered the completion of the project since awarded in 2006, saying that work would commence immediately.

However, over eight months after the assurance from the Minister of education, the project lies idle.

Voices are therefore raised, echoing worries about the neglected asset.

The concerns voiced by stakeholders regarding the abandoned library building underscore the urgent need for action.

In one of such, the president and national chairman, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Pastor Dominic Omokaro, appealed to President Ahmed Tinubu to order the completion of the National library of Nigeria headquarters.

He lamented that the National Library started in 1982 by Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s administration but successful governments have not taken interest in it for reasons best know 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.”

An educationist, Gloria Joseph, said it is imperative that federal government prioritise the completion of the National Library to ensure equitable access to information for all citizens.

He said, “In an era of rapid technological advancement, the role of libraries in facilitating digital literacy and information literacy cannot be overstated.

“The National Library project represents a crucial investment in bridging the digital divide and empowering individuals with the skills they need to thrive in the digital age.”