Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari has reaffirmed his commitment to the promotion of reading culture among pupils and students across the state through the procurement of recommended textbooks for the state library that will gulp the sum of N24 million.
The governor, who reaffirmed this at the 2018 Readership Promotion Campaign of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) in Katsina on Tuesday, said his government has also established an e-library at Daura to give more opportunities to online researchers and to accomplish the modern global trend of visual access to educational materials.
According to him, “Approval has also been granted for the upgrade of Katsina central e-library and plans are under way for the rehabilitation of Malumfashi library as well as an establishment of e-library. I wish to state that the Katsina State Government is very ready to partner with the National Library of Nigeria for the attainment of its objectives.â€
Masari, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Home Affairs Hamza Mohammed Brodo, said that it was imperative for all pupils and students to cultivate a positive attitude towards reading.
He further disclosed that the state government under his leadership had unleashed factors underpinning the development of education by providing adequate funds to acquire sufficient, current and relevant library materials for schools and libraries and rehabilitation of 361 primary and secondary schools across the state.
Earlier in his remarks, the National Librarian, Prof. Lenrie Aina, said that the target of the National Library of Nigeria had been to encourage secondary school students to embrace a reading culture.
Aina said: “Our objective is to cover the whole strata of the Nigerian society. It is my desire that as many as that have come to witness this occasion would imbibe the culture of reading, particularly the students.
“Also, representatives of schools, especially teachers, should ensure that students are encouraged to read and parents should endeavour to read always to the admiration of their children.
“Parents should make books available to their children; to lavishly present books as gifts to their children during special events of their lives such as birthday, religious and cultural festivals.”
The chief executive officer of NLN, however, encouraged Nigerians to establish libraries in their domains as waiting for the government to do everything may take time.
The theme for this year’s programme is “Sustaining Life Long Reading for Positive Changeâ€.
