Arts and Craft expo opens in Abuja

Speaking  at the opening ceremony  of the 4th African Arts and Crafts (AFAC)  Expo held Friday at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, the Minister of  Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Alhaji  Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed said that the ministry  is collaborating with stakeholders in the industry towards  harnessing  such opportunities  in line with the present administration’s  […]

Speaking  at the opening ceremony  of the 4th African Arts and Crafts (AFAC)  Expo held Friday at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, the Minister of  Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Alhaji  Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed said that the ministry  is collaborating with stakeholders in the industry towards  harnessing  such opportunities  in line with the present administration’s  effort at looking at other means of generating revenue from other sectors.

The minister noted that it is the challenge being faced in this regard  that crystallized into the expo which, according to him, seeks to explore, grow, develop, promote, market and generally leverage the Nigerian arts and crafts sector to enable it achieve the desired economic empowerment for the people, especially, the rural populace.

“AFAC expo will also promote, import and export of African arts and crafts worldwide, sensitize investors as well as attract public, private partnership to the industry,” he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Director National Council   for Arts and culture (NCAC) Mallam Wwajim Malgwi said that the Council has initiated some viable programmes of recent geared towards supporting the efforts of the administration at diversifying sources of revenue generation and efforts at job creation.

Also speaking the Minister of State for the FCT, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, commended the organiser of the expo, assuring that the Federal Government will continue to promote and support initiatives that will help promote and sustain Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.

Countries like Ghana, Senegal, South Korea, Gambia, Togo, Cameroon, Benin, Pakistan, Niger Republic and Mali are already at the expo, showcasing various crafts from their countries.

Also, several Nigerian states are exhibiting their crafts at the expo, which was declared open by the Navy Captain Olubolade.