The development of the cinema industry in Ebonyi State has been described as an economic boost with a guarantee of providing over 100,000 jobs for the the population.
The assurance was handed over to the State by the Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board, Adedayo Thomas, on Thursday in Abakaliki when he led some of the board members on a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner for Information, Uchenna Orji.
The Board, which seized the visit to inform the Ministry of its intention to come into the state, noted that there were lots of opportunities in cinema industry which would benefit both government and individuals in the State, especially in the area of employment, tourism and Internally Generated revenue.
Adedayo, who explained that 52 cinemas in the country made N4.4 billion between January and August 2019, indicated that Ebonyi State with its present enabling environment would surpass expectations.
Adedayo explained: “In Cinema, if we are able to come in, with the type of environment here in Ebonyi with foreign investors that have asked us to look for States, there will be lots of benefits.
“Between January and August of this year alone, 52 cinemas in the country made N4.4 billion and it was not made on the air: it was made on the land.
“The coming in of cinema alone is an employment.
“The tax that is going to be accruable to the state government is too much which they will re-inject into the society.
“The chains within the cinema: Pop corn sellers, transportation, children’s game and every other thing that you see in the modern cinema will create over 100,000 jobs, not to talk of the multiplier effect: food vendors and several other things that is going to come in.
“For staff of National Film and Censors Board working here, the taxes that will be collected by the Federal Government is going to be remitted back to the state and this is another way of generating revenue and several other things.”
Orji, while receiving the Director and his entourage, said the state had been longing to partner with the board in state to help develop young and budding talents.
He described the state as specially endowed with creative persons and expressed optimism that the entrance of the board would further harness the solid foundations laid by Governor David Umahi for the greater good of the State.
“With the presence of the board, we are going to have a lot of jobs; we are going to have revenue generation,” the Commissioner emphasized.
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