The allegations that the Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) was found wanting by national audit report of the auditor general of the federation has been debunked.
In a chat with few select journalists, Runsewe disclosed that he was neither indicted nor found wanting by the report which dwelt majorly on the activities of the agency (NCAC) before he was appointed.
He informed that a thorough look at the report captured majorly activities of the agency in 2015 and 2016, two years before he was appointed in 2017 to run the culture agency.
“So the reports actually looked at activities of the agency when I was not there” he emphasised.
He further noted “I think there is a misconception about what that report is all about, which looked at the books of the agency between 2015 and 2016 when I was not there and I have explained that there is the need to be careful when journalists go through such sensitive reports and may wish to publish its findings. Rushing to the press therefore, without taking time to look at the various angles would possibly leave innocent people highly misunderstood or hurt”.
Runsewe who in the past two years has taken Nigeria culture from the doldrum of darkness to the frontiers of national and international discourse added that he stands cleared and free from the imagination of many who felt that such report would rubbish his image and bring him down.
” The call to service to our fatherland comes with a lot of challenges, with a lot of people thinking on how to bring others down while there are also those who are uncomfortable with the changes to which NCAC has brought about on Nigeria’s cultural tourism revival, so certain efforts such as this normal report of agencies activities and not just NCAC alone, should not be blown out of proportion,Runsewe further explained.
The DG who is noted to have midas touch in turning around assignments and agencies where he is appointed to manage and recognise as the first Nigerian to be appointed as President Africa Region of World Craft Council, stressed that the issue of the audit report will not distract him or cause him to lose sleep over listed cultural activities in 2020 which includes the revival of Argungun fishing festival, the national campaign against desires to get rich quick by all means among Nigeria youths, the 2020 national cultural festival in Jos and the iconic International cultural expo.
“We are determined to work harder to justify the confidence of our appointment by the President Muhammed Buhari, the good people of Nigeria and the International community which has shown so much interest and support to have Nigeria back into the global community of culture-sensitive nations and influencers of peace among mankind” Runsewe explained.