‘Libraries can boost nation’s GDP, human capital development’

Governments have been told to discover the link between libraries and gross domestic product (GDP) and internally- generated revenue (IGR).

The Federal Government has also been urged to stop States from using non-librarians as heads of libraries.

The Nigerian Library Association (NLA), which raised the alarm in Port Harcourt on Monday, regretted that school libraries system had collapsed while there were no library facilities in States.

Dominic Omokaro, the president and chairman of council of the NLA, accompanied by Chidaka Nyemezu, the Rivers State chairman, made it clear that boosting human capital would help to earn more income that yields huge pay as you earn (PAYE) form of tax, which they said, would boost the GDP and IGR.

Addressing a press conference at the American Corner of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), the NLA president, said Governments had a good opportunity to use libraries to boost high literacy levels.

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He mentioned Dubai as a big example of a nation that used libraries to boost human capital and huge investment in knowledge-driven economy.

Omokaro said the Port Harcourt conference was aimed at reigniting the drive for libraries and human capital development.

He said the theme, “Promoting Diversity and Inclusion”, harped on the fact that library should be reached anywhere in Nigeria.

He said innovation needed to promote library services from digital to mobile levels, and that Government should restore interest in libraries.

Omokaro said the Association is committed to improving library services to help Nigeria compete with leaders in human capital development since libraries, he said, are the people’s university.

He called on the Governments to look at the library services again.

He said the Government was not paying much attention.

He however reminded the Governments that they cannot measure the positive effects of having libraries with direct revenue but it can indirectly boost to IGR and GDP.

He said jobs are now global and the competition is also among brains from all parts of the world.

“If you do not assist your citizens to study hard and read widely, they will remain local assets that may not compete well globally. Libraries promote human capital that boosts GDP. Govt should promote librancy to boost their IGR”, he said.

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He commended the Minister of Education for being proactive with libraries, but urged him to consider funding of Librarian Registration Council, which he said, had not paid salaries for seven months so far.

“The NLA cannot pay the staff of the registration council. Government should reconsider the funding because Nigerians working there are our people.

“Knowledge and information dissemination must be promoted, else, ignorance may rule. For you to be a leader, you must be a reading nation.

“There is danger in not developing reading culture and the peoples’ university (library). Library helps the nation. If you stop reading, you stop leading”, he said.