2019: Atiku to ensure ratification of international treaties in entertainment sector

Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate says, if elected, he would ensure that Nigeria ratifies international treaties in the entertainment sector.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that one of such treaties include the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production which aims to safeguard creation and freedom of expression and defend the cultural diversity of the various European countries.
It is open for signature by member states and for accession by non-member states and the European Community.
Nigeria is currently not a signee on the treaty which was revised on June 29, 2016 and opened for signatures on January 20, 2017.
Atiku who listed this as one of his plans for the entertainment industry in his policy document, stated that the industry suffers from “absence of incentives and benefits under the Convention, due to Nigeria’s non signatory to the treaty and lack of quality control”.
To combat these issues, he proposed to “improve enforcement to address the issues of piracy and ratify the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production”.
He stated: “The Arts, Entertainment and Creative Industry is one of the fastest growing industries in Nigeria and in the world.
“The sector can play a key role in the foreign exchange earnings, as well as the development of cultural dialogue and social cohesion.”
He stated that obstacles hindering the growth of the sector also include insufficient access to funding, lack of adequate infrastructure, copyright infringement and piracy, uncoordinated distribution and marketing channels.
Others include, lack of appropriate training on contracts and poor capacity building and limited access to tax incentives.
Atiku also quoted the convention as stating that in order to obtain co-production status; the work must involve at least three co-producers, established in three different Parties to the Convention.
He said: “The participation of one or more co-producers who are not established in such Parties is possible, provided that their total contribution does not exceed 30 per cent of the total cost of the production.
“The co-produced work must also meet the definition of a European cinematographic work set forth in Appendix II to the Convention.”