By Ifeanyi Olannye
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has promised to float Entertainment Trust Fund (ETF) that would stimulate the growth of the creative industry in the state.
The governor made the promise at a town hall meeting with members of the Indigenous Creative Industry in the state on Thursday in Asaba.
Okowa said that he would ensure that a legislation on the creation of the Entertainment Trust Fund is passed by the State House of Assembly to give it a legal backing.
He said that he would institute the foundational fund to kick start the Entertainment Trust Fund before leaving office as governor of the state.
“The entertainment trust fund is something that l believe is doable, it is something that l am going to try and initiate and ensure that a legislation on it is passed by the State House of Assembly.
“I will also try to institute the foundational fund to kick start it before l leave office.
“I have seen the level of your organisation, l hope you will all stay together and that when we begin to apply the fund in assistance that people will also respect the fact that everybody cannot be attended to at the same time.
“Therefore, the unions have a role to play in being able to help to manage these issues,” he said.
Okowa, while applauding members of the indigenous creative industry for being able to organise themselves decently and respectfully.
He enjoined the leadership of the group to applying a little more pressure in a polite manner to enable them achieve what they need, adding that they should not relent in their efforts to reposition the creative industry in the state.
“So, l thank all of you and l also believe that you have also realised that there is need to pressure a little more and don’t just put a little pressure and you withdraw, you pressure a little more in order to get to where you ought to get.
“I thank God that we are truly able to have this interaction. Yes, it may appear late in the day but l think there are new lessons to be learnt.
“And, l think l still have the opportunity to relate my experiences and also to offer advice to Rt. Hon. Oborevwori so that he will be adequately guided when God makes him the governor of the state.
“I don’t know that we have such an organised group put together by 2tins Entertainment. I congratulate you for being able to put the association together. Sometimes, it is not easy to put people together,” he said.
“He added, “we have tried to engage a lot of youths in so many entrepreneurial programmes but l think it didn’t occur to me that there are people who are already in the job who are having issues.
“That is the truth and l want to be truthful to you and l apologise for that.
“While we take the blame, it is also important that you become a little bit pushful as an association because when you have an association, you will have a leadership.
“The leadership must push to be able to breakthrough otherwise, l will not know that you do exist as an association.
“l may have probably be relating with people on an individual basis but now that we know that you have an association, which is a conglomeration of the creative industry, it becomes easier for government to be able to relate with you.”
Earlier in their separate speeches, leaders of various associations in the creative industry in the state including Mr Edirin Obada of 2tins Entertainment, expressed appreciation to Okowa for finding time to attend the town hall meeting.
They appealed to the governor to help them expand the frontiers of the creative industry in the state by institutionalising an Entertainment Trust Fund and by establishing an academy that would promote the growth of the entertainment industry.
The group passed a vote of implicit confidence on the governor.
They also unanimously resolved to vote for the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and the party’s candidates for the State House of Assembly in the March 18 polls.
(NAN)
