Ministry holds stakeholders forum on cultural policy
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- Category: Arts extra
- Written by Adie Vanessa Offiong
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A stakeholders’ conference on the review on the national policy on culture with the theme, ‘Taxation and The Arts’ was the basis of a thematic discussion of stakeholders.
The two-day event with subtheme, ‘Empowering the professionals in the creative industries’ which took place in Abuja on the 22nd and 23rd, June brought together stakeholders from across the country from all walks of life.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, expressed excitement over the event which he said could not have been better timed than now as it held against the backdrop of the recently launched Vision 20:2020 by the President.
Alhaji Abubakar said it was initiated to explore the relations between the arts and the economy, to define the potentials of the Nigerian creative industries for a broader economic development, and to define and recommend appropriate fiscal (especially tax policies), amongst others.
He said the Ministry is committed to working assiduously to fulfil the vision of making the Arts sector a global centre of cultural excellence in Africa through the delivery of internationally accepted cultural products that will contribute at least five per cent of gross domestic product by 2020, adding that the initiatives have to be taken to achieve such a goal.
“The Ministry accepts the position that in order to achieve this, a number of initiatives have to be taken. Incentives and investment programme: through soft loans, grant schemes and tax incentives by government as well as the establishment of publicly-sanctioned Endowment for the Arts through pooling of resources from various sources including private sector and the proposed Cultural Development Levy.”
According to him, the sector has justified special considerations for deliberate government policy aimed at galvanising its potentials for meaningful contribution to the national vision of development on several grounds in areas like the music industry which is enjoying a rebound with local and foreign media creating whole channels for delivering its products to the rest of the continent and the world.
While hoping that the two day event would bring about contributions and resolutions that will promote artistes and give them fresh avenues for funding their activities through well articulated tax incentives and he stressed the need to bolster economic entrepreneurial efforts with broader policies of economic intervention which will drive the next wave of growth in the creative industries.
The Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili pointed out that the revival of cultural values is one of the vital coupons of rebranding. Focusing on the theme of the gathering she said, “Taxation is dreaded and disdained because it evokes the fear and worry of loosing part of what we have instead of gaining more.”
Portraying the issue in positive and beneficial light, she explained that taxation can be inventively used to encourage the creative industry through duty exemptions for musical products, instruments and related matters.
Articles
Ministry holds stakeholders forum on cultural policy
Category: Arts extra Written by Adie Vanessa Offiong Hits: 737
A stakeholders’ conference on the review on the national policy on culture with the theme, ‘Taxation and The Arts’ was the basis of a thematic discussion of stakeholders.
The two-day event with subtheme, ‘Empowering the professionals in the creative industries’ which took place in Abuja on the 22nd and 23rd, June brought together stakeholders from across the country from all walks of life.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, expressed excitement over the event which he said could not have been better timed than now as it held against the backdrop of the recently launched Vision 20:2020 by the President.
Alhaji Abubakar said it was initiated to explore the relations between the arts and the economy, to define the potentials of the Nigerian creative industries for a broader economic development, and to define and recommend appropriate fiscal (especially tax policies), amongst others.
He said the Ministry is committed to working assiduously to fulfil the vision of making the Arts sector a global centre of cultural excellence in Africa through the delivery of internationally accepted cultural products that will contribute at least five per cent of gross domestic product by 2020, adding that the initiatives have to be taken to achieve such a goal.
“The Ministry accepts the position that in order to achieve this, a number of initiatives have to be taken. Incentives and investment programme: through soft loans, grant schemes and tax incentives by government as well as the establishment of publicly-sanctioned Endowment for the Arts through pooling of resources from various sources including private sector and the proposed Cultural Development Levy.”
According to him, the sector has justified special considerations for deliberate government policy aimed at galvanising its potentials for meaningful contribution to the national vision of development on several grounds in areas like the music industry which is enjoying a rebound with local and foreign media creating whole channels for delivering its products to the rest of the continent and the world.
While hoping that the two day event would bring about contributions and resolutions that will promote artistes and give them fresh avenues for funding their activities through well articulated tax incentives and he stressed the need to bolster economic entrepreneurial efforts with broader policies of economic intervention which will drive the next wave of growth in the creative industries.
The Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili pointed out that the revival of cultural values is one of the vital coupons of rebranding. Focusing on the theme of the gathering she said, “Taxation is dreaded and disdained because it evokes the fear and worry of loosing part of what we have instead of gaining more.”
Portraying the issue in positive and beneficial light, she explained that taxation can be inventively used to encourage the creative industry through duty exemptions for musical products, instruments and related matters.