Culture industry stakeholders have commended President Muhammadu Buhari and his Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed for responding to the challenges facing the sector through the creation of ‘Creative industry’s COVID-19 Committee’.
Prof. Ojo Bakare, Ekiti State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism gave the commendation as he spoke on behalf of the delegates.
This was during a technical meeting held in Jos, Plateau state on Tuesday, in preparation for the 2020 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST).
NAN reports that the COVID-19 palliative committee is headed by Mr Segun Runsewe, Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) which is also saddled with the responsibility of organising the annual NAFEST festival.
Bakare, in a statement, said that Runsewe led committee on COVID-19 palliatives would bring a rapid turn around to the sectoral players whose businesses were battered by the pandemic,
He noted that the creative committee on COVID-19 palliatives came at the right time to restore hope and bring huge relief to an industry brought to its knees by COVID-19 pandemic.
He urged the Federal Government to institute an Arts and Culture endowment fund.
” We want to appeal to President Buhari and the Minister, through Runsewe, to approve this initiative.
” It will help the industry find financial solution and succour which will help us each time we run into problems such as we experienced under COVID-19,” he said.
Meanwhile, three states, Kwara, Taraba, Anambra have indicated interest to host NAFEST 2022 as the technical committee confirmed Ekiti State to host 2021. (NAN)
