The National President, Actors Guild of
Nigeria, Emeka Ike, on Saturday called on the Federal Government to
probe the utilisation of the N3 billion Nollywood Intervention Fund.
Ike alleged that the money had been “hijacked by a cabal” to the detriment of the film industry.
The AGN president told newsmen in Yola that the film industry had not benefited from the grant.
According to him, the few beneficiaries
of the fund had not invested anything into the industry, but are rather
buying houses in Abuja and Lagos.
Ike further claimed that most of the 247
actors said to have been trained at the cost of N899 million abroad
from the fund, could not be traced.
“What the cabal do is to bring faces for
Mr President; that’s what they did in the last administration, they are
scavengers, and I am begging us here today to expose them.”
Ike advised the government to always
relate directly with associations in the film industry such as AGN, ANTP
and Kannywood, instead of individual actors.
The AGN president said he was in Adamawa
to participate in a programme organised by the state Christian Pilgrims
Welfare Board, to encourage youth on self reliance.
He said that the film industry has the potentials to boost the nation’s economy, if properly funded.
The AGN president said he would strive
during his tenure, to address problems of sexual harassment, all forms
of indiscipline and exploitation in the film industry.
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