Nda-Isaiah urges FG to harness entertainment sector potentials

The Director Press of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, Abuja, Solomon Nda-Isaiah has urged the federal government to harness the huge potentials of the entertainment industry to boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and also address insecurity. He said this Sunday in Abuja at his 50th birthday celebration and colloquium themed, ‘Harnessing Entertainment and Creativity to Boost […]

The Director Press of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, Abuja, Solomon Nda-Isaiah has urged the federal government to harness the huge potentials of the entertainment industry to boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and also address insecurity.

He said this Sunday in Abuja at his 50th birthday celebration and colloquium themed, ‘Harnessing Entertainment and Creativity to Boost National GDP and Combat Crime and Insecurity’.

“I feel it necessary to call us all together and create an environment where we can stand strong and strengthen ourselves where we feel weak, all towards harnessing entertainment and creativity. This sector can boost the nation’s GDP to combat crime and insecurity.

“There is no gainsaying that several administrations have paid lip service to the subject of diversifying the Nigerian economy. One area in which Nigeria has done well is starting a film industry from scratch, which is almost unaided.

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“While we can say that the tempo is being sustained, can we really say that the creative industry is paying its dues as far as contributions to the GDP is concerned?” Nda-Isaiah said.

He said that the scourge of insecurity has left Nigerians all feeling very insecure, and its impact is undermining food security in particular and the Nigerian economy in general.

He said, “We need to focus on the creative industry and modernise our sports industry. We are blessed with a population of very strong and vibrant youth who can contribute to the current GDP, curtail insecurity, and put Nigeria and Africa on the world stage.

“The government must create an environment where talents can be harnessed for the good of all. The world is digitising and becoming more technical daily. Nigeria should enhance its film production techniques and put out films of global standards.

“This is how our GDP will start to benefit from the country’s well-endowed entertainment resources. The creative industry will undoubtedly remain a hub for curbing youth excesses and promoting life and well-being,” Nda-Isaiah said.

Delivering the keynote, Mazi Nnamdi Dickson Iroegbu, a multiple awards winning filmmaker, said that the Nigerian entertainment/creative industry is not only contributing to the economic growth of the country but also is helping boost the image of Nigeria across the globe.

“With our own Nollywood and music industry taking the lead on the world stage, an enabled environment will guarantee investors and creative talents to rake in huge foreign exchange into the country.

“Even locally, rather than seeing our ever-increasing population as a burden, we can turn it around for good use, like China and India is successfully doing. It is not only during elections that the numbers should matter, our population is a good market that will guarantee good returns on investment, for the entertainment/creative industry,” Iroegbu said.

He also urged the National Security Adviser (NSA) to establish a creative desk under his office, as part of measures to boost job opportunities and weed youths away from crime and criminality.