The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Taraba branch, on Tuesday called for partnership with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Jalingo, to promote the reading and writing culture in the state.
Mr Rifonsikwe Kingham, State Chairman of ANA, made the appeal during a courtesy visit on the Acting General Manager of the station, Mrs Meti Dennis in Jalingo.
Kingham, who decried the low level of reading culture among people in the state, called on the NTA management in the state to partner with the association to change the situation.
He said the advent of the internet and the social media had caused a lot of damage to the Nigerian public, especially the youth.
Kingham solicited the support of the station in enlightening the public on the activities of the association.
He urged the public to help inculcate the reading and writing culture in the younger ones to promote literacy in the society.
Responding, Dennis said most Nigerians today speak bad English because people no longer read books.
She assured the association that NTA Jalingo would do its best by coming out with news and programmes that would encourage people to read and write books for the good of the society.
Dennis called on the pubic to imbibe the reading culture to reverse the trend.
The acting general manager urged writers not to be discouraged in writing books because of poor public patronage, but continue to do their best.
She urged the association to partner with the state ministry of Education to hold zonal reading and writing competitions among secondary and primary school children.
She noted that such competitions would help promote reading and writing culture among school children in the state. (NAN)