Educationist Wants IOCs To Promote Literacy

As part of measures  to promote  sustainable reading culture and rid the society of illiteracy, a philanthropist and educationist, Mr. Austin Nwaeze has urged multinationals and IOCs operating in Rivers State to sponsor literacy based training, especially in the rural areas.
Nwaeze gave the charge while speaking with The Tide in an interview  last Friday during the celebration of the 2017, edition  of World Literacy Day in Port Harcourt.
Nwaeze,  who is the Director of Garden City Library, Project Read Advocacy, said the IOCs should make the  promotion of literacy development a fundamental component of their corporate social  responsibilities towards the society.
He pointed out that the development of literacy among youths would enhance the building of the capacity and reduce crime in the society.
He called for a partnership between  multinationals,  government and private organisations towards  the building  and  equipping of financial  libraries  across the  state.
He decried  the indifference exhibited by many multinational firms and IOCs in the promotion of social services, such as literacy development which he described as pivotal  to nation building.
Commenting on the theme of this  year’s edition of the World Literacy Day: “Literacy in a Digital World”, he said Nigeria was yet to digitise  literacy because  many people  do not have access to books or internet platforms for  self-development.
He pointed  out that  majority  of Nigerians reside in the rural areas and live on bare subsistence. He therefore  solicited for proper funding of public education in formal  and informal  sectors.
He said the Garden City Library Project Read Advocacy  was a humanitarian  gesture aimed at promoting reading culture  and information  dissemination in the  society.
He expressed  dismay over the lack of institutional interest in the promotion of read culture, as demonstrated  in the  low turn up for the year celebration of the  world literacy stay by critical  institutions and stakeholders.

Taneh Beemene