KADUNA – Sen. Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna Central), said on Monday that he would transform the Kaduna branch of the National Library into a 21st century reference library, to attract students to patronise the facility.
Sani made the pledge when he visited the branch’s Chief Librarian, Alhaji Muhammad Ndagi in his office in Kaduna.
He said the goal was to make it possible for new generation of Nigerians to regard the library as relevant to their academic and literary needs.
“I assure you, I am going to step in to provide a number of the library materials needed like furniture and books that would update this library to 21st century library.
“I once visited a state library and I discovered that the last stock that was delivered to the library was 35 years ago.
“We can’t talk of the 21st century when we are actually living in the 20th century, “he said.
Sani said he would also partner with the library in the areas of quiz, essays and conferences, to further boost patronage and encourage reading culture among young Nigerians.
He said that the gesture was part of his agenda as a senator, targeted at uplifting education in his constituency.
According to him, it is important for states in the north to work together to raise the standard of education in the region.
“I am deeply concerned about the state of library and the whole education sector in Nigeria, particularly northern Nigeria which has continued to lag behind in comparison to the southern part of the country.
“There is low level of enrolment in primary, secondary and post secondary education due to relative lack of interest as well as low level of investment in education by successive northern state governments.
“The north, particularly Kaduna State, cannot achieve any form of development and industrialization without heavy investment in the education sector, because education remains the insurance for the future.
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“Therefore, the way out for our country is to heavily invest in education“.
Earlier, Ndagi said funding remained the major challenge affecting the operation of the library and inhibiting it from achieving its statutory functions.
He said beside providing readers access to information, the library also carry out readership promotion campaign to encourage reading as a life-long habit.(NAN)
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