FG is not selling National Theatre

The Federal Government has no plans to sell the National Art Theatre, this is according to the Minister for Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

He however stated that the Federal  Government has the intention of entering  into a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with any interested individual or organization that will bring value to the theatre.

Describing the Arts Theatre as a national monument, Mohammed stated that the government will not allow it to go derelict or become a magnet for hoodlums.

Speaking further he also said,

"We will restore the National Arts 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"

He also added that "in line with the administration’s resolve to move away from the addiction of oil as the only source of revenue, we look at the creative industry as another veritable vehicle for creating jobs for our youths, so we are going to revive the craft centre here, we are going to have an auction centre at the National Theatre where people will come from all over the world to come and bid for our arts”