Film training workshop to eradicate poverty among youths, says Ambode

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday advised youths in the state to take seriously the quarterly film training programme being organized by the Lagos State Film Corporation.

The governor gave the advice at the opening of the Special Film Training Workshop for youths from the state.

Mr Tunji Balogun, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Film Corporation represented both Gov. Ambode and Mr Steve Ayorinde, the state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture at the event.

Ambode commended the state film corporation as well as the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) for their initiatives which he said had been projecting the sector positively.

The governor advised the youths in the state to embrace the sector for them to be fully engaged and be productive.

He said that it was the intention of his administration to eradicate poverty in the state.

He added that one of the ways to achieve this would be to empower the youths.

The governor said, “By getting the youths involved in the training, they will acquire skills that will make them self-reliant and earn a living,” Balogun said.

Also, Dr. Chidia Madueke, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Film Corporation (NFC) said the programme was an opportunity to deliver the core mandate of the NFC to the public.

He stated the mandate as, “The training and retraining of the required manpower for the film industry in Nigeria.’’

He said that there had been a cordial relationship between the NFC and the Lagos State Government saying that NFC was determined to help the state and others develop their film sectors.

Madueke said that the agencies of government would achieve their policies on youth entrepreneurial empowerment by embracing training in the film sector.

He said that the NFC had resolved to sustain the continuous training and retraining of participants and operators within the sector with the objective of turning them into entrepreneurs.

Madueke said that there were several other opportunities inherent in the film business apart from film production.

He said the Special Film Training Workshop was developed across the country to provide ready windows for jobs and wealth creation for youths.

“The training will focus on strategic and competent human resource, combined with skilled frontline capabilities to meet the modern-day-job-creation challenges.

“The participants will receive one-on-one coaching from experienced faculties and post training,” Madueke said.