Wednesday 20 May 2020

FG inaugurates creative industry committee, says 'no time for division'


The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while inaugurating the Post-Covid-19 Initiatives Committee for the Creative Industry virtually from his office in Abuja on Tuesday. Pic: FMIC.

After the storm settled over the initial list of creative industry members for post-covid-19, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday, finally inaugurated the committee.

The inauguration, which held virtually, had 22-member list named Post-Covid-19 Initiatives Committee for the Creative Industry. The minister said the committee cannot accommodate everyone in the industry, but assured that the work will benefit all.




A statement from Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant To The President (Media)
Office of The Minister of Information and Culture explained that the Committee’s membership, as announced two weeks ago, has now been expanded to include as many sectors as possible. ”However, while the committee cannot accommodate every members of the industry, it is certain that all will benefit from its work,"  he said.

"I therefore want to implore the entire industry to support this committee."  He pleaded: "This is no time for division."
Mohammed advised that "all hands must be on deck so the industry can rebound.”




He described the Creative Industry as a very critical sector of the nation’s economy and a major plank of the economic diversification policy of this Administration. He explained that in view of the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the Creative Industry, it has become imperative to have a collective and government-supported approach in dealing with the immediate, short and long term economic stimulus and initiatives for the industry, in order to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the sector.




 “Two weeks ago, I announced the establishment of this committee. In doing so, I said the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on the nation, and that the Creative Industry has been particularly hard hit, considering the fact that it is an industry that has people-interaction at its core. I also said that instead of addressing these problems piecemeal, we should do so holistically for a more positive outcome”, the minister said.




In his response, the Chairman of the Committee, comedian Ali Baba, expressed the appreciation that the Creative Industry has been given a pride of place under this administration because of its huge contribution to the diversification of the nation’s economy. He assured that members of the committee will work in unison to represent the entire creative industry and not just their respective sectors.

The Committee’s Terms of Reference are: Assess the expected impact of the pandemic on the industry in general; advise the Government on how to mitigate job and revenue losses in the sector as well as to create succour for the industry small businesses; suggest the type of taxation and financing that is best for the industry at this time to encourage growth and advise the Government on any other measure or measures that can be undertaken to support the industry.




List of Committee members released on Tuesday, May 19, 2020:

1. Ali Baba – Comedy, Film and TV (Chairman)

2. Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim – Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON) – Vice Chairman

3. Bolanle Austen Peters – Film and Performing Arts

4. Charles Novia – Television and Independent Producer

5. Segun Arinze- Actor and Producer

6. Ali Jita – Actor and Musician

7. Baba Agba – Film Director

8. Kene Okwuosa – Cinema and Distribution

9. Efe Omoregbe – Record label and Collective rights management

10. Prince Daniel Aboki – Radio and Film

11. Chioma Ude – Streaming

12. Olumade Adesemowo – Television and Platform (FreeTV)

13. Dare Art Alade – Livespot Entertainment

14. Oliver Enwonwu – President, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA),

15. Alhaji Saleh Rabo – President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria

16. Bala Hassan – Booksellers Association

17 Ali Nuhu – Kannywood

18 Tajudeen Owoyemi – Hotels

19. B.M. Dzukogi – Association of Nigerian Authors

20. TY Bello – Photography

21. Lanre Da Silva Ajayi – Fashion

22. Anita Eboigbe – Secretary.



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