The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration is collaborating with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to attract investment and create jobs in the state through the Edo Creative Hub, its new initiative to rejig the state’s entertainment industry.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu gave the assurance during an interactive session with stakeholders in the entertainment industry at the Government House, in Benin City.
According to him, “Our goal is to create jobs by stimulating an enabling environment for private investment to thrive and drive the various sectors of the state economy. For the entertainment sector, we are establishing the creative hub where players in the entertainment industry will be exposed to world-class training and secure jobs with the opportunity to excel in the industry.”
He noted, “The idea is to make the entertainment industry viable in the state and groom it to a world-class standard.”
The wife of governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, said the entertainment industry is a critical sector due to its huge contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as its potential for job creation.
Mrs Obaseki added that the state government would partner with the Bank of Industry, which is currently investing in 50 sub-sectors in the creative industry across the country.
She urged participants at the interactive session to key into the Edo Creative Hub initiative to rejig the creative industry in the state and the country at large, noting, “The Federal Government has identified the value chain in the entertainment industry and the BOI is giving loans to people in the entertainment industry to grow the sector. This is where the creative hub will be beneficial to people in the state.”
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Skills Development and Job Creation, Mrs Ukinebo Dare, said the Governor Obaseki-led administration through EdoJobs will continue to create employment opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the entertainment sectors.
The governor’s aide said the interactive session was organised to identify opportunities in the Edo Creative Hub and share information on investment and financing products available for players in the industry.
She said, “We want to attract commercially viable initiatives from major stakeholders in the entertainment industry to the state. We want to expose Edo youths, including returnees, to opportunities in the sector.”
