The federal government has set November 2022 as possible date for the completion and rehabilitation of the National Arts Theatre ahead of World Tourism event to be hosted by Nigeria.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this Wednesday when he appeared before the Senate Commitee on Culture or budget defence session.
According to him, the federal government has signed a memorandum of understanding ( MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) and the bankers committee to invest in the rehabilitation of the theatre and hand it over to the federal government .
He further added that the bankers committee have assured that the edifice will be completed by November, however with a clause of running the theatre for 21 years.
He added that Nigeria has been offered the privilege to host the united nations world tourism organisation next year.
He appealed for more investments in the creative and tourism industry saying, “the music industry makes only N350million while Fashion Industry generates N2 trillion, make up industry N1.53 trillion, hospitality industry N2trillion, Books and Publishing Industry N1.2 trillion”.
The minister also informed the committee members that the federal government with the German government have signed an MOU to return 1,130 Benin bronzes stolen from Benin in 1897 which found their way to various museums in Germany.
On the issues of digital switch, he said it will create over one million jobs in the next two years and will provide spectrum worth over N200 billion Naira to sell to telecoms company.
He presented a budget proposal of N3.9 billion for the Ministry of Information and Culture which the committee chaired by Senator Rochas Okorocha ( APC West) , said is not enough to drive the sector.
