The federal government, on Monday, said over N50 billion was needed to complete the abandoned National Library project, thereby gave the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND nod to take over the project.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sony Echono, stated this when the President of Nigerian Library Association, NLA, Prof. Innocent Ekoja, paid a working visit to the Ministry.
According to a statement released by the Director of Press in the ministry, Bem Goong, Echono said, “the critical step being taken by the government is to reposition library services in the Nigerian education sector for effective service delivery.”
He mentioned that work on the National Library has been stalled for years due to inadequate funding, adding that efforts to get the private sector to complete the project have not yielded results.
For his part, Prof. Innocent Ekoja, expressed that the National Library when completed, will bring honour and pride to all Nigerian librarians as well as provide the much-needed reservoir for Nigerian researchers, students and the reading public.
Ekoja highlighted that the one-day working visit includes; the investiture of the Service Award on the Permanent Secretary, which is the seventh of its kind by the Association in the last 4 decades and the highest honour ever bestowed on a non-librarian by the Association.
The President of the Association appreciated Buhari’s administration for the show of support on issues related to the education sector.