Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has promised that his ministry will do its best to ensure the establishment of the Motion Picture Council of Nigeria, MOPICON, in order to effectively regulate Nigeria’s budding Movie industry commonly referred to as Nollywood.

He made the commitment on Monday after receiving the report of the Review Committee of MOPICON, headed by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe.

The minister commended the committee members for their selfless service, adding that he will do his best to see that their sacrifice and hard work yields the desired result.

Mohammed promised that the ministry “will critically look at the reviewed draft document, which you have handed over to us, and we will immediately kick-start the process of making MOPICON  a reality for the benefit of the movie industry,”

He also reiterated that contrary to speculations from certain quarters, government has no hidden agenda in making moves to establish a regulatory body for Nollywood, as it will not be part of anything that will stifle the growth of the growing movie industry.

He said: “I have followed the debate that ensued among the stakeholders in the aftermath of the inauguration of the Review Committee.

“Some argued that the government has no business in helping Nollywood to set up a self-regulatory structure, while others are of the contrary opinion.

“Let me re-state what I said at the inauguration of this committee on April 12th 2016, that in line with our overall responsibility for the nation’s information, culture and tourism policies, our role in helping to set up MOPICON is simply to enable Nollywood to play meaningful role in national development.

“Again, one of the ways we think we can tackle frontally the many challenges militating against professional and career fulfillment in the movie industry is to have a central body we can always refer to in decisions aimed at improving and modernizing the motion picture industry.”

The minister further stated that government’s interest in the setting up of MOPICON is driven by the fact that there should be a “formidable representative group that is empanelled to lobby for the growth, development and welfare of the film industry and its practitioners as well as make for a better organized and more visible and vibrant Nollywood industry.

Chairperson of the committee, in her remarks said that members of the committee were unanimous in their decision to support the establishment of MOPICON

She noted that they had taken different opinions from stakeholders in the industry into consideration while working on the report.

“What we come to understand and appreciate is that a council of some sorts is required in order to make this industry work. How this council will operate, we have advised,” she said.

“In this document, we have taken cognizance of all the guilds and associations and we have also taken into cognizance all the uproar in the media about the MOPICON and what it stands for and the misconception of what it is,” She added.