Nation
TV Producers Laud ARCON Over Advertising Protection
The Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN) has commended the decision of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to implement effective regulatory framework designed to protect advertising businesses in Nigeria.
ITPAN President, Mr Adeyinka Oduniyi, made the commendation in a statement in Lagos.
ARCON had announced that it would commence the implementation of a policy to ensure a minimum of 75 per cent commulative local content of all advertising, advertisment and marketing communication materials with effect from January 1, 2023.
Oduniyi said this conforms with the Federal Government’s policy of developing local talent and achieving an inclusive economic growth for all sectors, including advertising.
According to him, this will spur job creation, inclusive growth and development of various sectors of the economy.
“It is with great excitement and relief that we receive the delightful news that the Federal Government, National Assembly and ARCON have finally decided on a more effective regulatory framework.
“This is to guide and protect the practice of advertising and its ancillary businesses in conformity with the best practices within the global advertising community,” he said.
He noted that ITPAN had long been an advocate and campaigner for urgent and critical policy interventions to save the practice and business of advertising in Nigeria.
He said before now, the advertising industry had recorded loss of about N120 billion annually to production of advertising, advertisements and marketing communication materials outside the country.
He noted that it was disheartening to know that the industry in Nigeria had all but collapsed with the attendant massive loss of jobs and weakened capacity to contribute to the country’s GDP.
“This has led to some of the core advertising agencies branching out into other areas of mass communications to stay afloat while hundreds of employees have lost their means of livelihood.
“Even those in the allied businesses of audio-visual productions, casting and modeling have had to move away into other fields of human endeavor just as training investments have continued to dwindle overtime.
“But with the recent development, it is the way to go in moving the industry forward,” he said.
Also, former President of ITPAN, Mr Femi Odugbemi said, “Our advertisers and agencies are investing locally generated money to develop the production industry in other countries which obviously do not need our generosity.
“It is therefore gratifying to identify with and fully endorse the noble determination of the ARCON, not only to stem the hemorrhage but to deliberately put in place a policy environment that will protect and encourage the rebuilding of a viable and sustainable advertising industry.
“This is for the overall good of our national economy, to the profit of the practitioners and for the cultural benefits of our people”.
Odugbemi said that at fruition, the new policy wiould put an immediate end to the acts of ferrying production of audio-visual advertisement materials to producers in foreign countries.
He explained that it would also discourage the use of foreign models and voice-over artistes, thereby returning the jobs to equally and even better skilled Nigerians.
“As a direct consequence, the very many lost briefs and jobs shall return while our languishing production equipment shall find opportunities for productive engagements.
“Business owners shall be encouraged to re-invest and re-employ those who have been redundant; new investors and investments shall be attracted to bring in funding opportunities that financial institutions can leverage.
“This bold commitment by the regulator and government deserves the total support and equal commitment of all stakeholders,organisations including ADVAN and other practitioners to bring the initiative to full fruition for our mutual benefits.
“We strongly recommend that ARCON must demand total compliance with this new policy regime in order that the sdvertising industry and its ancillaries may fully return to add value to our national desire to become big, strong and formidable.
“On our part, ITPAN hereby commits to engage with ARCON and other critical stakeholders to begin the rejuvenation process.
“This is by developing ideas and strategies, implementing strategic partnerships and business opportunities that can lead to a more prosperous and sustainable industry for Nigeria and its people,” he said.
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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