NCAC boss to boost economy with culture promotion •Seeks partnership with ANJET

Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe has stated that his recent appointment into the agency was intended by the Federal Government to reposition the culture sector for more meaningful contribution to the national economy even as he pledged to work with the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) in the pursuit of this goal.

According to Runsewe, government’s policy towards leveraging on the culture sector in its quest to diversify the economy and empower its stakeholders also informs the new mantra at the agency which is ‘culture is the new oil.’

Receiving a delegation from the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET), the umbrella body of travel and tourism writers, in his office in Abuja, he said NCAC under his stewardship will be refocused to ‘take control of the culture sector in the country.’

“My appointment was intended by the Federal Government as a move to reposition the culture sector of which the NCAC is the biggest agency and make the people not just here, but also the private operators see it as the new oil. And as we say here, crude oil will eventually dry up but our culture will always be there. Culture will soon be our new cash cow for the Nigerian economy,” said Runsewe.

Runsewe, said his agency will be retooled and effectively equipped to take charge of the culture sector of the country’ so as to better the lives and businesses of the practitioners in terms of exploiting the sector’s business potential.

“Thank you for finding time to visit my agency. You are part of my success story at my various duty posts in the course of my national call to service. I will always carry you along even in my new assignment because of my belief in the importance of the media.

Earlier, head of the five-man ANJET delegation, Andrew Okungbowa, had presented a five-point agenda to the NCAC boss in which he tasked him on the need to bridge the yawning gap and dichotomy between tourism and culture in the country, as well as growing the Nigerian culture industry, among others.