The National Assembly has expressed commitment to help the National Council for Arts and Culture take full control of its permanent site in order to maximise the property for the benefit of Nigerians.
This position was made known by members of the House Committee on Unspent Funds in Abuja recently.
Members of the committee promised to look into the recent controversy surrounding the cultural village located near Sheraton Hotels in Abuja with a view to securing the premises for NCAC.
During the hearing, the director-General of NCAC, Otunba Segun Runsewe stressed the need to ward off intruders from the Arts and Crafts Village so that the council could put infrastructure in place to empower Nigerians.
The DG reaffirmed that if the Arts and Crafts Village facility belonging to NCAC is maximised, the site could boost internally generated revenue (IGR) for the Federal Government.
Runsewe reiterated that the site worth N9.8 billion belongs to Nigerians and must not be used for personal gains by unscrupulous individuals. If put to good use, he noted, it could generate billions in IGR for the government.
Fielding questions from journalists after the session, Runsewe stressed the need to protect and defend the landed property of the council, saying, “Nigerians must know that the land belongs to them and it’s not a personal thing. If that land had been well harnessed and operational, it would have been generating some good IGR for the government.”
Runsewe commended the House committee for a job well done, noting that with the current interest and commitment, it would help to improve financial expenditures of government agencies.
“We are the implementers in this area but the committee is there to help us do our jobs better. It is not witch-hunting but part of fighting corruption, and the committee can correct so many things,” he noted.
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