File: A library

Richard Elesho/Lokoja

The Kogi state commissioner of education Mrs Rosemary Osikoya has expressed the light over the federal government plans to establish a national library in the state .
Mrs osikoya made the assertion at the readership promotion campaign by the national library of Nigeria in Lokoja .
The commissioner said the establishment would compliment governments effort to encourage reading culture in the state .
Mrs Osikoya who spoke on the role of educational policies and the realities of today revealed that over sixty five million Nigerians are said not to be able to read and write.
She noted that the problem is significant and must be holistically addressed through multi sectoral collaboration.
The commissioner further disclosed that a state committee was currently working on language literacy to encourage learning in indigenous languages .
According to her government needed to recruits up to fifteen thousand teachers for effective teaching and learning in basic and secondary education describing education as the bed rock for sustainable development .
Earlier the national Librarian Prof Lanre Aina said the theme of the campaign which is reviving moribound culture of reading in Nigeria for sustainable national development is taking place simultaneously in Gombe,Kaduna, kano, and Zanfara states .
Prof Lanre pointed out that the event is to encourage reading culture among Nigerians adding that government decision to establish in Kogi is in recognition of the effort of the commissioner to move education forward .
In remark the FCT branch head of the library Hajiya Rekiya Shehu said Nigeria is rated as one of the countries with the lowest reading culture.
Highlights was a cultural display by students of confluence international academy Lokoja .