Covid-19: FG moves to protect creative industry, appoints Ali Baba, Segun Arinze, Chioma Ude, others into advisory committee

In a frantic move to protect the creative industry from being badly affected from the collateral damage of the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday, set up a committee of industry stakeholders to advise it on the best way to mitigate the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on the industry.

According to information sourced by OpenLife from City News, the committee, which has four weeks from today to submit its report, were given specific guildlines  on areas to advice the government  by  Lai Mohammed during a meeting with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, BON.

Mohammed noted that the industry needs a collective and government-supported approach in dealing with the immediate, short and long term solutions to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the sector.

He said that the Government has decided to set up the committee made up of industry stakeholders to look into the best way to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the industry.

The Minister said the committee will be assessing the expected impact of the pandemic on the industry in general.

It will advise the Government on how to mitigate job and revenue losses in the sector as well as to create succor for the industry small businesses

The committee will also suggest the type of taxation and financing that is best for the industry at this time to encourage growth

They are expected to advise the Government on any other measure or measures that can be undertaken to support the industry.

Accordingly, the minister named members of the committee to include,

Ali Baba – Comedy, Film, and TV (Chairman); Bolanle Austen Peters – Film and Performing Arts (TerraKulture); Charles Novia – Television and Independent Producer(TeenTV); Segun Arinze- Actor and Producer; Ali Jita – Actor and Musician; Baba Agba – Film Director (BCI Studios); Kene Okwuosa – Cinema and Distribution (Filmhouse); Efe Omoregbe – Record labels and Collective rights management (Hypertek/Now Muzik); Prince Daniel Aboki – Radio and Film (CoolFM/WaZoBia); Chioma Ude – Streaming (Envivo); Olumade Adesemowo – Television and Platform (FreeTV); Dare Art Alade – Livespot Entertainment; Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim – Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON); Anita Eboigbe – News Agency of Nigeria (Secretary)

He added, “We are still expecting the representatives of the Fashion, Publishing, Photography as well as Hospitality and Travel sectors