Gov. Bassey Otu To Revamp And Digitalize State Library

By Sylvia Akpan, Government House Correspondent

Cross River State Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, has said plans are in top gear to revamp and digitalize the state library.

The governor, who made this known, Monday, when he visited the dilapidated main library in Calabar, the state capital, in the company of the deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey assured students and researchers that his administration would ensure a functional and knowledge-based e-library that is information technology driven.

“Libraries are important and we will ensure that we have an e-library that is functional, digital, and would serve the needs of students and researchers.

“I am not unaware of the financial constraints we face as a state, but we will look at what is feasible as quickly as possible and work to get the library up and running as libraries as centers of knowledge are pivotal to growth and development,” Otu said.

In a statement by Emmanuel Ogbeche, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, he explained that the governor said that a functional library will help in bringing back the reading culture amongst students as the library will be IT and digital-compliant.

Speaking during the inspection of the library complex, Director, Cross River State Library Services, Mrs. Eme Awatt, expressed her gratitude at the visit of the governor, stressing that the management and staff had hoped for such an opportunity to present the challenges facing them.

“I am really pleased with this visit by the governor. This is what we have been praying for. There is hope that we could soon have a befitting and functional library with an e-section. We have computers locked up, and hopefully, they are still functional to be put to use.”

Awatt also stated that beyond the physical repairs, there is a need for manpower development to meet the needs of a model library.

The state of libraries across the state is pathetic, throughout the duration of Ben Ayade’s administration, the libraries were neglected leading to the dilapidated state they’re in.