Members of Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN on Tuesday asked President Goodluck Jonathan to sack of chief executives of the Nigeria Film Corporation and National Film and Video Censors Board.
Ibinabo Fiberesima, President, AGN made the request when members of the Guild paid a solidarity visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President of AGN said only those with passion for the entertainment industry should be appointed to head the regulatory agencies.
“Mr. President, Your Nollywood is in dire need of purposeful, practical, dynamic and experienced leadership at the helm of affairs of the two regulatory agencies whose function border on our industry, that is, the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).
“Those that have been appointed to run those agencies have shown lack of capacity to put the industry on the path of growth especially in this transformational period.
“We implore Mr. President to review those appointments and appoint administrators with passion, zeal and total dedication to the development of the film Industry, said the AGN President.
Ibinabo added that while Nollywood, the Nigeria film industry has been acknowledged as capable of employing over five million people, it is in dire need of a modern, responsive legal environment for it to continue to thrive and remain relevant to this administration’s transformation agenda.
“The present Copyright Act is now grossly inadequate particularly in digital and Internet environment.
“The criminal sanctions for piracy and other copyright infringements have become ridiculously low and no longer as sufficient deterrence to infringers,” said Ibinabo.
The AGN President specifically asked the the President to ensure the full implementation of the revised National Film Policy (NFP) and to present the bill on the setting up of the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria (MOPPICON) as an Executive bill to the National Assembly to be speedily be passed into law.
“We believe that that the implementation of the revised national film policy which provides among other things for the setting up of community cinemas in each of the local government area of the country, the setting up of MOPPICCON and the setting up of a sustainable film fund, is the most important intervention tool that the Nigerian motion picture industry requires to address some of its structural deficiencies” she said.
The guild also, requested for a land and a building in the Federal Capital Territory for their headquarters which will be named The Goodluck Jonathan Screen Actors House.
The guild also urged the President to direct the relevant agencies to negotiate and sign the foreign treaty with other country as currently non exists with any country as well as inculcate them into the centenary celebrations so that they can “produce a historic film that will talk about us from 1914-2014 with a view to chronicle the achievements of our founding fathers and socio political evolution”.
President Jonathan told the AGN members that he will to look into their requests. The President said while allocation of land to the Guild can be guaranteed, he would meet with the FCT minister to help them build the secretariat.
Labaran Maku, the Information Minister who accompanied members of the Guild to the Presidential Villa promised that their request that needed executive assent will be presented to the Federal Executive Council next week.
Edem Duke, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, also appealed to the guild to portray the positive value of the country as well as the unity of the country in all their stories.
-Pm News
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