Aba Book Club has expressed displeasure over the decision of Aba South Local Government authorities to convert Aba zonal library’s permanent site to a motor park
The club consequently appealed with Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to stop the council authorities from such anti-education action.
The call was contained in a letter to the governor dated 28 March 28, 2021, signed by the club’s Curator, Nnanna Daniel and Secretary, Dr. Ugo Emeodi respectively and made available to our correspondent.
The book club said the conversion of the state government-owned library into a park for impounded vehicles and sites for small-holder shops would stop the library’s development and discourage reading culture in Aba.
The group further said the move by Aba South local council was “harmful to Ikpeazu’s rebranding and selling of the Aba Brand”.
“The Made-in-Aba project is not limited to artisans, but also other creative artistes like authors, poets, playwrights, essayists etc. who are the think-tank of the Aba society.
“We believe your excellency has good intentions for the city of Aba and Abia State in general hence, our drawing your attention to this distasteful development.
“We also call on the general public to support the full development of Aba Divisional Library through donations of books and other hardware to encourage reading in the commercial city,” they said.
The group expressed sadness over the abandonment of the construction of the Aba Divisional Library, which resulted in its unfortunate conversion.
They explained that libraries are necessary within a city to afford the people timely, accurate, pertinent and reliable information.
The book club said libraries increase the knowledge-base and academic consciousness of a society and enable residents to become better through reading even of books they cannot afford.
They noted that apart from the Abia Divisional Libraries’ headquarters at Umuahia, the Aba divisional library was next in importance in Abia hence the need to secure and develop the permanent site.
They said converting the library’s permanent site to other purposes would amount to destroying the legacies of past governments and their good intentions for the people.
The group therefore urged Ikpeazu to stop the encroachment of Aba South local government authorities on the site and from using it for anything else.
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