April 03, (THEWILL) – Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has assured that President Muhammadu Buhari will commission the newly refurbished National Arts Theatre (NAT) by November.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the NAT on Saturday, Emefiele said, “Our target is that by the special grace of God, Mr President will commission the new National Arts Theatre by November. And we are also hoping that on the day he commissions the new NAT, he is also going to lay the foundation for the four verticals; the music, the movie, IT as well as the fashion hub.
“It is a very, very extensive work, but we believe also that by the time the President is about bowing out by May next year, he would come again and now re-commission, not just the national edifice, but the entire edifice comprising the four vertical hubs, so that there will be immense business opportunities, enough of tourism, enough of creative sector businesses that will be generated, not just for Nigeria, but particularly for our youths who have shown a lot of creative talents and we think we need to use this opportunity to harness it.
“I am getting excited because we are hoping that by sometime, around the end of this year, there will be some programs and global activities will be hosted in this complex. We would be talking to the Art gallery and hopefully by this year we can bring the Art exhibition into this complex because we know that by November this place will be ready so that we can begin to bring this place back to us again and then put life into the tourism life in Nigeria and particularly in Lagos State.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this project is costing the Bankers Committee by last estimate about $100 million and I must say that yes $100 million is about $100 million or more will be invested in this project, but it is going to be business where the monies will be realised.
“I am happy that foreign investors are already showing interest and I want to place it on record that we have received enquiries from the United States, from investors who have said that they are interested in taking a look at not just the National Art Theatre, but also the creative opportunities that we are developing around here.”
On his part, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Minister, said the National Theatre would be ready to host global events by the United Nations as well as the World Health Organisation (WHO) by November this year.
“It seems very hopeful now that the new National Theatre will host the United Nations, World Health Organisation sometime in November this year and also some other global events.
“From what you see, you may not appreciate half of what has gone on. I think we have crossed the rubicon and by the time we come back in two months’ time, we will all see that a lot of work has been buried under.
“Once again I want to express my appreciation to the CBN governor, the Bankers Committee, that have made it possible for us to have enough finance and of course to the governor of Lagos State because he is also providing the enabling environment in terms of rail transportation, in terms of making use of the waterways. I want to assure you that from what we have heard today this will not be an abandoned project, this project will be commissioned before the end of this administration”, Mohammed said,
Also speaking, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwolu, said the project at completion “can further help us to deepen our GDP as a state, as a nation and continue to de-emphasise oil as the only source of revenue that we have and we can begin to export all of the talents that will be coming out of this place to the rest of Africa and the world.
“The only reward for good work is simply more work. We are stretching ourselves to see the November, December deadline, they are really stretchy numbers and we will be here again in another two three months and I am believing that we will see further advancement and further deliverables that will continue to make that closure, that realisation possible.
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