By Peter Amine
The Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph Ari said the fund was equipping all its libraries with the requisite personnel and materials to boost staff and clients’ capacities.
Ari who was represented by Director of Field Services, Mrs Adetola Aje, stated this at the opening of ITF 16TH Library Week on Monday in Jos.
He said that libraries served as knowledge hubs and provided access to a wealth of educational and training resources.
According to him, the aim of equipping the libraries is to build staff capacities and clients’ interests in reading as technology advances at speedy rate.
Ari added that repositories of books, research materials and digital content, empowered the workforce to expand their learning horizons, enhance skills development initiatives, and foster a culture of continuous improvement in the workforce.
“Indeed, in an increasingly globalised world, libraries had become more important and integral to the activities as individuals and as a corporate entity.
“We want the staff of ITF and our clients to be at pace with the globalised world we are living in. We expect everybody to read more by taking advantage of recent books in our libraries.
“Let me use this opportunity to remind you that the ITF Community Readers Development Service Programme is coming in a few days’ time.
“Through this programme, the fund has over the years, taken practical steps to promote the reading culture among learners at both primary and secondary school levels.
“Educational materials are usually donated to participating students and pupils by ITF during the programme, by way of encouragement.
“This service is rendered to our immediate and surrounding communities as part of our social responsibilities,” he stated.
The D-G commended the Research and Curriculum Development Department (R&CDD) for their farsightedness in coming up with: “The Dialectics of knowledge management in a hlobalised age,” as the theme for the week.
According to him, in an era where information flows freely across borders and technology connects people like never before, the management of knowledge has become a critical factor in the success and sustainability of organizations, communities, and nations.
He described knowledge, as a powerful asset that was key to innovation, growth, and competitiveness.
Mr Faruk Wase, Director, Research and Curriculum Development Department in his remarks, said that the fund consistently organised the week because ITF was a citadel of learning.
“We are in the business of human capital development and capacity building and we cannot drive this without knowledge background.
“And the library week is one of the focal points we try to reiterate the need for people to try to harness their knowledge assets.
“We do it annually for people to be able to revamp their reading habits, reading attitudes and also to have access to new books and publications which we have been able to accumulate annually,” he added.
Prof. Victoria Lawal of University of Jos, in a presentation, said it centred on how organisations were supposed to work towards harnessing their tacit and explicit knowledge.
Lawal stated that organisations should work towards harnessing their knowledge for the purpose of remaining relevant, competitive and progressive in terms of their activities.
The academic said knowledge management was very important as society was growing to a level of technology where information sources were increasing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goodwill messages were received from librarians of NTA TV College Jos and Nigerian Film Institute Jos. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman
