Senate Seeks N10bn Appropriation For Establishment Of National Monuments In FCT.

The Nigerian Senate Committee on Culture and Creative Economy has called for appropriation of N10 billion for the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy for construction of National Monuments in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ogoshi Onawo made the appeal, while presenting reports of the budget defense of MDAs under the committee to the Appropriations Committee in Abuja.

Senator Onawo listed the proposed Monuments to include the National Museum, National Gallery and National Theatre.

He said the new Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy was a new ministry that will be an alternative revenue generator to oil revenue, given its potential to drive revenue generation and improve the nation’s economy.

The Senator said the Ministry has already developed a road map on what was needed to be done to further grow the nation’s economy.

He urged the Appropriation Committee to support the Ministry and its agencies to drive its plans and programmes of further growth of the economy.

Senator Onawo, who also said that the Monuments, when established, would create employment and revenue generation told the Committee that the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee had taken over the renovation of the National Theatre Iganmu in Lagos, to make it more fitting and productive for revenue generation.

He said on completion, the theatre would be capable of generating N500 million for the nation.

According to him, arrangements have been concluded for the renovation, saying that it would be operated for a period of time and finally handed over back to the Federal Government.

Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, Senator Solomon Adeola said the Ministry would need a Special Intervention fund to productively drive the intentions and purpose of the Ministry.

Senator Adeola said the envelope budget given to the Ministry could only cater for its day to day activities, while urging the ministry to draw up feasible plans realising a creative economy via the Ministry’s activities.

He urged the Ministry to encourage and partner the private sector players in its quest to execute its plans for a creative economy, saying that the Senate would partner and support where necessary.

Other committees that presented their reports of 2024 budget defence of MDAs to the Appropriations Committee included the Agricultural, Trade and Investment, Anti-Corruption, Establishment and Public Service committees among others.

Olusola Akintonde