Bauchi Gov’t to establish two new Zonal Libraries for improved reading culture.
4th left; Bauchi SSG Barrister Kashim Ibrahim, the Speaker Bauchi State House of Assembly Abubakar Sulaiman (m) representing Governor Bala Mohammed, Professor Veronica Anunobi National Librarian, Dr Jamila Dahiru State Comm of Education at the NLN 2024 National Confab.
By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
Bauchi State Government is to establish two new Zonal Libraries at Alkaleri and Ningi local government areas in addition to the one at Azare to compliment the State library towards promoting reading culture and improve education.
The State Governor Bala Mohammed who stated this while declaring open the 2024 Conference of the National Librarian with State Librarians, Directors and Chairmen of Public Libraries in Nigeria said the aim is to ensure that every citizen has access to information and resources for improved livelihood.
“This expansion aims to promote reading culture and support education ensuring that our citizens have access to information and resources to improve their lives”, he explains.
Bala Mohammed represented by the Speaker State House of Assembly Abubakar Sulaiman said a special needs section to cater for people with disabilities, the only of such centres in northern Nigeria was established at the State library to ensure inclusivity and equal access to information.
He listed other measures taken to include strengthening educational infrastructure, traditional/Community engagement for ownership, improved partnership with donor organisations, use of ICT for improved services, enhanced non formal literacy among others.
“Furthermore, we have partnered with Zenith Café to establish a JAMB Center at the State Library Complex. We have furnished the Centre with 250 Computer systems to meet JAMB requirement and also to serve as online library and online resource centre aimed at improving youth readiness during JAMB examinations towards obtaining quality result for transitioning to university”, the Governor discloses
Earlier, the National Librarian and CEO National Library of Nigeria Professor Veronica Anunobi who expressed worry over the myriad of challenges facing public libraries to include poor remuneration among other, called for synergy between state governments and leaders of public libraries towards enhanced literacy, reading, knowledge provision and information access.
“Despite the central and overwhelming responsibilities vested on public libraries globally, it is mind boggling that Nigeria is yet to appreciate, embrace and nurture this unique institution. Nigeria’s Public libraries are therefore faced with myriads of problems the issue of nomenclature and remuneration) which require urgent attention lest the present generation will be judged harshly by the succeeding generations for the deprivation of one of the institutions that shapes societal intellect. I therefore call upon us to salvage this situation by improving investments in the public libraries in Nigeria”, Professor Anunobi reminds.
While commending the effort of Bauchi state government in library management, the National Librarian noted that they are currently pursuing literacy initiatives and improved reading culture in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In their separate remarks, the representatives of Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Education and Chairman Public Section of the National Library Association of Nigeria, Mr Barnabas Ugochukwu and Dr Garba Dahiru commended Governor Bala Mohammed’s determination to address the issue of out of school children, stressing the need to embrace mobile libraries and digital learning platforms to reach out to disadvantaged children and those in rural areas.
The State Commissioner of Education Dr Jamila Dahiru restated the state government’s commitment in the implementation of the national reading framework, in addition to the over five hundred million nairs expended in the procurement of early grade reading books and supplementary reading materials.
“It is worth noting here that in addition to the State Library and the Azare zonal library, His Excellency has approved to the extension of such libraries in our 2 other zones, we have over 100 libraries in junior and senior secondary schools”.
“As we move forward, it is crucial that we continue to invest in our public libraries, enhance their services, and ensure they remain accessible and relevant to all members of our society”, Dr Jamila says.
The three day National Conference with the theme: Public Libraries, Gateway to Sustainable development had in attendance library chief executives, academics and other stakeholders from the states of the federation.
