An Implementation Committee for Post-COVID-19 Initiatives for the Creative Industry has been inaugurated by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, with a charge to design an implementation plan that will catalyze the growth of the industry.
Performing the inauguration virtually in his office in Abuja on Tuesday, the minister listed the Terms of Reference of the committee to include: designing an implementation plan on the immediate and short-term relief for the Creative Industry, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other terms of reference, according to the minister, are: designing a Policy Framework for Tax Relief for the various sectors in the Creative Industry, if such sector is identified as one of the measures aimed at achieving immediate and short-term relief for the Industry; and working out a detailed implementation plan for a long-term intervention for the overall development of the Creative industry in Nigeria.
Describijg the Creative Industry as the second biggest job creator in the country after agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed urged members of the Implementation Committee to approach its assignment with a great sense of duty, as the development and growth of the Creative Industry are crucial to the nation’s economy.
He once again commended the Committee on Post COVID-19 Initiatives on the Creative Industry for producing a ‘phenomenal’ report, noting that the committee went beyond the call of duty to produce a well-researched report.
Chairman of the Implementation Committee, Otunba Segun Runsewe, who is also the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, in his remarks, pledged the readiness of his committee to come up with robust recommendations for the overall benefit of the Creative Industry and the nation in general.
Commending the Minister’s foresight on the initiative, Otunba Runsewe said that Nigeria has taken the lead in the West African sub-region in thinking out of the box to address the challenges foisted on the Creative Industry by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a time frame of six weeks to submit it’s report, the committee, comprises Ali Baba, Deputy Chairman; Anita Eboigbe; Baba Agba and Joe Mutah, Secretary.
