Buhari pledges improved funding for creative industry

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that his administration will improve funding of creative industry in the 2017 budget in order to boost employment opportunities.

The president made the pledge in Abuja at the public presentation of a pictorial book titled “Buhari A New Beginning”.

The book launch with the theme: “Creative Youth as Drivers of the Change Agenda”, featured youth conversation, discussion session where seven selected youths exchanged ideas with the President on issues relating to creative industry.

The President said the improved allocation will provide the requisite infrastructure for rapid transformation of the creative industry in the country.

He said the fund would be channelled through the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

The President said steps would be taken by his administration to tackle the menace of piracy across the country and other challenges facing the country.

He called on the youths to partner with the administration in its efforts to diversify the economy and ensure a corrupt-free society.

In a message, a former Governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu stressed the need for the country to leverage on its youths as fulcrum for development.

Tinubu, who was represented by Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, noted that the youths were instrumental to the electoral victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.

He stated that the strength of the nation “lies with the youth”, adding that their mobility and intellectual inquisitiveness were assets the country could not afford to ignore.

“We must create opportunities for them, empower them and carry them along in the policies we formulate.

“I am happy this government, through the office of the Vice-President, is involved in various programmes aimed at the youth,” he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tinubu bought 300 copies of the book at an undisclosed amount for immediate distribution to youths at the presentation.

NAN reports that during the interactive session, selected youths highlighted contributions of creative industry to socio-cultural and economic development as well as challenges facing the sector.

Cobham Asuquo, a multi-talented Artist, spoke on the unifying strength of music amongst Nigerians.

An Arts Curator, Aderele Shonarewo, identified the enormous potentials of the visual arts in addressing unemployment and ensuring wealth creation.

Ishaq Sidi Ishaq, an Actor and Film Director with the Kannywood, stressed the need for Nigeria to give priority to the film industry.

He said that Nigeria’s film industry has been rated second in the world.

A fashion designer, Ms Lanre Da Silva-Ajayi identified poor electricity supply and inadequate infrastructure as some of the challenges frustrating the development of the nation’s fashion sub-sector.

The event was attended by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, some governors, traditional rulers, business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and many other personalities.