In commemorating President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office, the National Assembly Library was named after Tinubu.
On  Wednesday, Tinubu inaugurated the National Assembly Library and Resource Centre in Abuja.
Mr Henry Nwawuba, the Centre’s Executive Secretary, described the library as a fortress of knowledge management, information storage, digitization, archiving, legislative research, and training.
He stated that the setting of parliament was highly temporary, with MPs coming and going, and that the facility would serve both lawmakers and personnel.
“It is our hope that all the activities they have performed during their tenure will be carefully, documented and managed for posterity.
“It is critical also, that we support our legislators with the ability to engage in critical thinking and using the parliament as an engine room for legislative innovations.
“All of these factors will be considered once the National Assembly library begins operations.
“It is not just a physical library we have in this premises, we also have access to a world of materials, resources, books, publications, and so many things,” he stated.
Nwawuba stated that the facility will be a digitalized setting with a comprehensive E-library and a variety of additional amenities such as a multipurpose hall.
Speaking about the library’s architectural design, Mr Georges Nehme, General Manager of Dumez Nigeria Limited, stated that it was meant to make research materials easily accessible to members of the National Assembly and future generations.
He stated that Dumez, the builder of the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, safeguarded the library and resource center’s uniqueness by designing it to be environmentally sustainable.
“The building glazed elevations as well as roof skylights have been designed to bring natural day light to most of the library spaces.”All library visitors will appreciate the tranquil atmosphere of the reading spaces, as well as the library’s expansive and lovely circulation areas.
“In addition, the library has been equipped with an advanced automating system, audiovisual technology, and cost-effective cooling system,” he stated.
In his remarks, President of the Nigeria Library Association (NLA), Mr Dominic Umokaro, said the library was a source of pride for the library profession.
“We need to build a nation that is a leading nation and for us to be a leading nation must be a reading nation,” he stated.
He stated that only readers could become excellent leaders, and that the National Assembly library will serve as an example of reader leadership dedicated to study and creativity.
Rep. Yusuf Galambi (NNPP-Kano State), Chairman of the House Committee on Library Trust Fund, stated that the library’s mission was to educate National Assembly members, Nigerians in general, and even international researchers.
“The National Assembly Library contains almost everything you need to know about Nigeria and the Nigerian parliament,” he stated.
