No plan to sell National Theatre

yinka ogunlami

December 29, 2015 10:33 PM

The Federal Government on Monday has assured Nigerians that the National Theatre will always remain a national monument and will not be sold for whatever reason.

National Theatre in Lagos

Whie addressing the issue, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said during a visit to the complex as part of the tour of the parastatals under his Ministry.

In his words, "But we are not averse to a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement that will add value to the iconic (National Theatre) complex."

He stated further that the process of selecting a preferred bidder under the PPP arrangement is currently underway.

Read: Fun returns to entertainment centre on Boxing Day

‘’The National Theatre is a national monument and a tourist attraction. We will not allow it to go derelict or become a magnet for hoodlums. This monument is the pride of the nation, and it has always served as the point of convergence for Nigerians seeking fun and relaxation, especially during festive periods, and a centre for the promotion of arts and culture.’’

The Minister also promised that security around the complex would be beefed up to prevent a recurrence of the molestation by hoodlums of fun seekers at the National Theatre on Christmas Day, and also ensure the safety of the priceless artifacts within the complex.

Read: Hoodlums disrupt activities of fun seekers at National Theatre

Quoting the Minister, ‘’It is totally unacceptable that fun-seeking individuals who throng the National Theatre for relaxation during festive periods or at any time will become the victims of attacks by hoodlums.

‘’We will work with the security agencies, especially the Police and the State Security Service, to upgrade security at the National Theatre. It is also important for the management of the complex to ensure that its perimeter is better secured to ward off hoodlums,’’ the Minister said, adding that a high-tech security surveillance system may even be introduced to better secure the complex.

Read: Hoodlums mar turnout at art centre again

‘’We will restore the National Theatre to its pride of place and make it more user friendly. We will also ensure that the management engages with stakeholders in order to increase the patronage of the various facilities at the complex."

yinka ogunlami