ABUJA - A gloomy picture of a proper repository for records of events for the nation has been painted by the Director General, National Archives of Nigeria, Harry Adedoyin Lafinhan, saying that the National Archives has been a sore point in records gathering in the 54years of its existence.
He stated while presenting a memo to the House of Representatives currently considering a bill for an ‘Act to repeal the National Archives Act, 1992 and to establish the National Archives and Records Administration which Shall Be Entrusted with Permanent Custody, Care and Control Of All Archives Of the Federal Government and Of Such Other Archives Or Historical Records as May Be Required from Time To Time Pursuant To This Act,2008’ that the depatrment has been unable to perform its staturoy roles following abject negelect by government.
He said ‘in the 54years of the department’s existence, it has been under the supervision of eight different ministries, a situation that led to much instability in the affairs of the depatrment and which and has resulted in near neglect of the department’.
This neglect has resulted in the inability of the departmrent to execute projects vital to its mandate provided in the National Archives Decreee No.30 of 19992 now an act of the National Aseembly ‘, Lafinhan lamented.
He said his department had not been able to recruit the requisite professional staff as is the practice in Archival institutions nationwide to enable the the agency meet its set objectives and goals.
“Over the years the National Archive has been amstrong in its inability to recruit within its establishment a conservator/ a preservation cadre officer that would enable it manage its holdings for as much as they are needed by the Nigerian public’ he noted, adding that the current bill will give his department the desired autonomy to operate optimally.
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