The Nigerian Library Association has called on President Bola Tinubu to appoint a special adviser for the association on library matters.
The call was made by President of NLA, Dominic Omokaro, on Thursday in Abuja, stating that a special adviser on Library and Information Matters would double as the librarian of the Presidential Library as it was in the day of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The association has indicated that the Head of Service has refused to utilise special waivers to employ librarians that would fill vacancies arising from retirement and job migration, according to ThisDay.
NLA is hoping to see the federal government’s intervention through the enforcement of existing regulations and guidelines that mandated the appointment of qualified librarians to leadership positions in libraries.
Announcing its forthcoming 62nd Conference and Annual General Meeting that would hold in July and with the theme “Promoting Diversity and Inclusiveness through Innovative Library and Information Service Delivery in Nigeria,” Omokaro stated that the NLA could no longer take this gross abuse of the laws of the land as it concerns the sector.
He said: “We also want the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help restore hope to this critical sector that helps in shaping the needed manpower for national development by the restoration of a vibrant library system in Nigeria by appointing a special adviser to the President on Library and Information Matters who should also double as the Librarian of the Presidential Library as it was in the day of President Obasanjo.
“It will amaze Nigerians to know that despite the embargo on employment by the federal government, special waivers has been given to some MDAs to employ staff to fill vacancies arising from retirement and job migration but the Head of Service of the Federation has not seen the need to give waiver for the employment of librarians in the Federal Civil Service.”
He continued, “The NLA has observed with deep concern the pervasive practice of employers of labour appointing non-librarians to head Libraries across the country.
“This troubling trend not only undermines the expertise and professionalism of trained librarians but also hampers the effective management and development of library services in our nation.”
