.SUSPENDS FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD SECRETARY
The Lagos State Government, has denied imposing any levy on audio visual contents of all physical and digital platforms in Lagos State.
This was contained in a statement released yesterday by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho.
The Commissioner also informed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had suspended the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Film and Videos Censors Board, Mr. Bamidele Balogun, pending an administrative enquiry into the issue.
The statement which urged All stakeholders in the Entertainment Industry to disregard the said LSFVCB publication, further said that “Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu Administration is not insensitive to the fact that the Industry has been badly hit by the effects of the COVID -19 pandemic and empathizes with this and other sectors of the economy”.
Chairman of the Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS), Mr. Mahmood Ali- Balogun had on Friday, issue a statement on the purported 5% levy where he told AVRS members that “the attempt by Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board (LSFVCB) to levy the production, sale and distribution of audio visual content was illegal.”
Below is a full text of the statement by Lagos State Government…
“There is no levy on Audio and Visual contents of all Physical and Digital Platforms in Lagos State.
The Executive Secretary, Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Mr. Bamidele Balogun, is said to have announced a 5% levy. The Government hereby dissociates itself from the said announcement in the media. The Executive Secretary, who was not authorised to make such an announcement, has been suspended, pending an administrative enquiry.
The fifth pillar of the THEMES Agenda, the development policy of this Administration, is Entertainment and Tourism. Practitioners are partners in our effort to ensure that Lagos State remains Africa’s leader in entertainment .
The Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu Administration is not insensitive to the fact that the Industry has been badly hit by the effects of the COVID -19 pandemic and empathizes with this and other sectors of the economy.
All stakeholders in the Entertainment Industry are advised to disregard the said publication.
Gbenga Omotoso
Commissioner, Information and Strategy,
Lagos State.
4th September, 2020”
