(Taiye Olayemi, NAN)
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.