Entertainment programmes meant for Nigerians must be produced here, minister insists
Rotary Club of Ikoyi, police to improve medical facilities • Refurbish Police Hospital Falomo
THE Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has denied saying that the Federal Government will ban the production of Nigerian movies and music abroad.
Several media organisations had reported the minister announcing the ban at an event held in his honour at the weekend by the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).
Speaking at a news briefing at the end of a two-day Creative Industry Financing conference with the theme ‘Financing the Film, Television and Music Industries,’ held at Eko Hotel, Alhaji Mohammed clarified what he said about the amendment to the NBC Code to discourage production of Nigerian movies and music abroad.
The minister equally reiterated his decision that any programme meant for Nigerians must be produced in Nigeria, saying he was not appointed minister to develop the economy of other countries at the expense of Nigeria’s.
In a statement in Lagos yesterday, the minister said the creative industry’s potential of creating 1million jobs in three years cannot be realized if jobs meant for Nigerians are being exported to other countries under the guise of producing, in other countries, programmes to be consumed in Nigeria.
“I didn’t say that henceforth, all music videos and films will be produced in Nigeria, or that the production of music videos or films outside Nigeria will be banned. All I said was that if a programme is designated as a Nigerian (local) content programme, we will amend the Code to ensure that it is produced in Nigeria,’’ he said, adding: “On that, there is no going back.”
The minister recalled how his office was bombarded with calls from concerned Nigerians when the last edition of the Bigbrothernaija was produced in South Africa, saying he subsequently directed the National Broadcasting
Commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the contro- versy.
‘’Following the findings, we decided to amend the relevant sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to prevent a repeat of that development. We are now in the process of doing that, so that anyone who intends to produce a reality show or similar programmes for Nigerians cannot take the production of such shows outside
IN a bid to improve the quality of healthcare in Nigeria, especially among men and women of the Nigeria Police Force, the Rotary Club of Ikoyi, District 9110, has announced the completion of a refurbishment of the Nigeria Police Hospital, Falomo in Lagos, as a support to the force to help them continue to deliver their best to Nigerians.
The club’s President, Rotarian Isichei Osamgbi, while speaking at the offi- Nigeria.
“Nigerians are a very proud and resourceful people, and we are sure that no Nigerian will be against a decision to prevent the jobs that can be done in Nigeria by Nigerians from being exported to other countries,’’ he said.
The minister said broadcasting code is also being amended to help develop the local football league. cial commissioning of the project held at the premises of the Police Hospital Falomo in Lagos, noted that this gesture was in line with the values of the club, which he said is to serve humanity.
According to Osamgbi, “It gives us great joy to be able to embark on such a project at a time like this. We at Rotary Club of Ikoyi are determined to make immediate impact
“This (amendment) is not just about the creative industry. We are also going to ensure that the NBC Code is amended in a manner that if any company in Nigeria today invests a million dollars in promoting or supporting any (football) team or league outside Nigeria, I want the Broadcasting Code to be amended to the effect that it will not allow that programme to be around us and this is just a start of many of such impactful projects we will be embarking on this year.”
He thanked the management of the hospital, led by the Commissioner of Police, Medical, CP Emeka Nwakor-osaji, who represented the Force Medical Officer, Assistant Inspector General of Police, MedicalAIG Ahmadu Kaunmi, for their partnership and excellent professionalism in aired unless that company supports the Nigerian League with a percentage that will not be less than 30 per cent of what was spent.
“This is because we cannot continue to develop the economies of the other parts of the world from the sweat of Nigerians and at the expense of the Nigerian economy,’’ the minister said. the hospital.
Osamgbi noted that the conducive medical environment maintained by the hospital and its management was a big attraction to the club to provide the needed support.
Also speaking while commissioning the project, the District 9110 Governor, Rotarian Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo expressed his delight with the club’s decision to refurbish the hospital.