Some members of the Bwari Youths Forum in the Bwari Area Council of the FCT have called for urgent rehabilitation of the council library to revive reading culture among school children in the area.

They said the move would also improve educational development, provide a conducive learning environment, and enhance academic performance among students across the community.

The youths made the demand during interviews with journalists on the sidelines of their quarterly empowerment and education intervention meeting in Bwari, Abuja.

They also expressed concerns over the facility’s deteriorating condition.

They said the neglect of the library had deprived students of a conducive environment for learning, research, and intellectual development, thereby affecting academic performance and access to quality educational resources.

According to them, a community library will go beyond formal education and promote digital literacy if equipped with computers and internet access for modern learning needs.

They also stressed that a functional facility would help young people acquire technical skills, access online learning platforms, and remain competitive in the global job market.

One of the youths, Gideon Akau-Shere, said the library would engage school children after school hours, weekends, and during holidays, helping to keep them productively occupied.

He said, “There is a structure on ground, but it has been in bad condition for years; if you go there now, the building is occupied by some commercial motorcyclists who have turned it into their home. This is not right.”

Mr Akau-Shere added, “The council needs to take it back, restore and rehabilitate it for us.”

He further said that a functional facility would provide access to books, educational materials, and a safe learning space.

He noted that investment in education infrastructure remained key to community development, adding that a functional library could become an engine for social and economic growth if properly managed.

Similarly, another youth, Esther Yakubu, said providing a reading facility was essential for intellectual and social development, noting that rehabilitation of the library would bridge existing educational gaps.

She said: “Many households, especially those in rural parts of the community and densely populated areas, lack such resources or have limited access.

“If we have a functional and well-equipped library in the council, it will offer a reliable alternative for focused learning.”

The president of the youth forum, John Awoyi, said a functional library would not only support education but also contribute to social stability in the community.

He said it would also assist candidates preparing for examinations such as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by providing relevant study materials and past questions.

Mr Awoyi said: “It will help prepare prospective candidates by providing up-to-date materials and past questions that could guide them through the exercise and directly improve students’ chances of academic success.”

He added that an active library would reduce youth idleness and discourage social vices such as drug abuse and crime through engagement in reading and educational programmes.

Though the rehabilitation project was included in the council’s 2025 budget, the library remains dilapidated and has become a haven for wanderers in the community. 

(NAN)