Leadership (Abuja)
26 October 2007
Abuja — In an effort to boost and contribute meaningfully to the resuscitation of the education sector, the Northern Zonal Book Fair committee is working tirelessly to make illiteracy a thing of the past in the entire region.
The director, State Branch Services, and the chairman of the local organising committee, Malam Sanusi A. Nasarawa, stated this during a press conference organised by the National Library of Nigeria on behalf of the Nigerian International Book Fair Trust, on the preparation that have been made to stage the 2nd Northern Zonal Book fair in Abuja.
Malam Nasarawa added that the main objective of this year's fair was to encourage book publishing and marketing, enhance book distribution, provide people access to books and generally stimulate the education sector.
He said the theme of this year's fair is "The Book Industry and the Education for all Initiative and would be " held under the auspices of the Nigeria International Book Fair Trust based in Lagos, which is fashioned after the Annual International Book Fair in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Nasarawa expressed his displeasure that in spite of the success of the fair so far it had not been given moral support and financial assistance.
His words: "Despite the letters we sent to all the 19 Northern states governments and the FCT, none of them has responded in cash or kind to our request for assistance. this is quite discouraging, we had expected that various government in this part of the country would assist and strengthen us so we could contribute to the backwardness of the education sector in the North but none."
Nevertheless, he stated that the Northern Zonal committee will continue to request for financial assistance from well-meaning organisations and individuals saying, "We all know the current situation in the education sector of this part of the country. Think of the huge impact that will flow from a book fair that involves the entire north."
He called on all well-meaning Nigerians to assist toward making this fair a huge success. The book fair has been scheduled to hold at the National Centre for Women Development from October 29 to November 2, 2007.
Malam Nasarawa, also called on publishers, printers, exhibitors, librarians, parents, teachers, students and the generality of the people to grace the book fair as they expect a successful fair.
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