Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has reaffirmed his commitment to fostering a strong and productive partnership with the music and creative industry.
Governor Otti who made this known when he received the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), in Government House Umuahia, disclosed that the state recognizes the transformative power of music and creativity.
The Governor represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba explained that the creation of the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy is a deliberate move to integrate talents in the entertainment sector into the state’s development framework, and encouraged PMAN to remain proactive as well as continue to collaborate with the ministry for mutually beneficial engagements.
He acknowledged the role of music as a vehicle for cultural expression and societal change, and enjoined PMAN to be strategic in their engagements while assuring them of government support in tapping into opportunities through proper planning and presentation of their developmental projects.
In her speech, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mrs Chibuzo Ehiemere assured PMAN of government’s willingness to harness the potential in Abia’s creative music space and urged them to continue to align with the ministry’s initiatives for long-term impacts.
Earlier in his address, the State PMAN Governor, Mr Ejeh Williams, while highlighting the association’s efforts in talent discovery and youth empowerment by virtue of using music as a tool to combat drug abuse and reduce crime, appealed to the state government to support their vision of building a music academy by providing land for the project.
