…sets up creative industry committee chaired by Ali Baba, renowned comedian
As part of efforts to ease the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the broadcast industry, the Federal Government has granted a two-month licence fee waiver for terrestrial broadcast stations in the country.
It has also set up a committee of creative industry stakeholders to think out best ways to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the industry.
Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed announced this at a meeting with the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja on Wednesday.
“Before I announce the terms of reference of the committee, let me say that in the interim, I want to announce that I have approved the request by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to grant a two-month licence-fee waiver for terrestrial broadcast stations in Nigeria.
“I make bold to say that while BON members have been hit hard by the current pandemic, they are not alone.
“In fact, the entire Creative Industry, which also covers the Broadcast Industry, has been affected by the pandemic that has inflicted extensive damage on the economy of nations across the world,” he said.
Mohammed stressed the need for a collective and government-supported approach in dealing with the immediate, short and long term palliatives and initiatives for the industry to cushion the effect of the pandemic on the industry.
“We have therefore decided that instead of addressing this problem piecemeal, we should do so holistically for a more positive outcome,” he said in a statement by Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Assistant to the President on Media, Office of the Minister.
Noting that the creative industry is very critical to the nation’s economy and a major plank of the economic diversification policy of the administration, Mohammed said it is expected to create the highest number of jobs after agriculture.
He said the terms of reference of the committee include to assess the expected impact of the pandemic on the industry in general and 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.
The committee is also expected to suggest the type of taxation and financing that is best for the industry at this time to encourage growth and also advise the government on any other measure or measures that can be undertaken to support the industry.
The committee has Ali Baba, a renowned Comedian, as Chairman while Anita Eboigbe of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) will serve as Secretary.
Other members of the Committee include Bolanle Austen Peters, Charles Novia, Segun Arinze, Ali Jita, Baba Agba, Kene Okwuosa, Efe Omoregbe, Prince Daniel Aboki, Chioma Ude, Olumade Adesemowo, Dare Art Alade and Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim.
Representatives of the Fashion, Publishing, Photography as well as Hospitality and Travel sectors are also to be included in the committee, which has four weeks to submit its report.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of BON, Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim, who was represented by Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, called for urgent mitigating measures for broadcast stations in the country which, she said, have all suffered huge revenue losses due to the pandemic.
She disclosed that privately-owned broadcast stations have contributed over N2 billion worth of airtime, free of charge, for public sensitization and awareness campaign for the containment of the disease in Nigeria as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.
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