The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), the federal government agency saddled with the responsibility of managing Nigeria’s audio-visual has refuted the allegation of being the beneficiary of an $800million USD garnishee award against the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The NFC said its attention was drawn to an online publication dated September 13, 2023, attributing the story to a reporter of a mainstream newspaper.
The NFC, in the statement in Jos, the Plateau State capital, by Brian Etuk – Director of Public Affair, disclaimed the allegation that it was the initiator and subsequent beneficiary of the garnishee order as a result of the breach in contractual obligations between her and the FCTA.
“There has never been any breach of legal obligations between the NFC and the FCTA, let alone a garnishee award in her favour against the FCTA, Etuk said; maintaining that the NFC had neither sued nor obtained any court judgement against the FCTA.
“Saddened by this unfortunate and unacceptable attributes, the NFC has initiated appropriate action, to among others seek a retraction of it being the purported initiator and beneficiary of the garnishee award; which may include an unreserved public apology by the publishers of the fake story.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, NFC’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, who expressed NFC’s displeasure about the Corporation’s portrayal in the said story, has said that the NFC and FCTA enjoy a robust relationship and will continue to partner for the joint hosting of Zuma Film Festival, Nigeria’s national film festival which was consummated through a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2021, and which also designates Abuja as the official host city.
Dr. Maduekwe in the statement commended the FCTA for partnering with the NFC to jointly host the annual film festival, which has the capability to continuously upscale the promotion of creative ingenuity and film business opportunities available in Nigeria, with the sole objective of making Nigeria, through Abuja a film production destination hub in Africa.
The film festival will be from December 1 to December 10, 2023.
Culled from Daily Times.
