The Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Alhaji Adedayo Thomas has disclosed that the board under his watch will not compromise standard in the classification of films and videos.
The films censor boss also said that the protection of children will be paramount.
He made the disclosure on Tuesday in Lagos at a press conference on regulation and training on Over-The-Top contents at KAB Hub, where he stated that the board has consistently maintained close contact and relationship with critical stakeholders in the industry.
He further posited that since he took over the reins in the board, some many bureaucratic bottlenecks as it affect classification of films and videos in the country has been brought to a minimal end.
According to Alhaji Thomas, “since we came on board, the challenge of classification has been dealt with, from what it used to be. Now you can get your film verified within a week, and cinema can be done immediately. Despite the short time frame of examining the films, we won’t compromise on standard, our cultural values must be upheld and rights of our children are taken cognizance of in classifying our films.
Stating further, the NFVCB boss said; “most of our policies are embarked upon after consultation with the stakeholders who are the engine room of the industry. Our staff spread across the nation and are well taken care of, thus, they always put in their best.”
The NFVCB boss also commended the president of the federal republic of Nigeria for giving them the freedom to initiate and implement policies that will uplift the industry and strengthen it.
In his words “we have over the years, particularly in this administration, not just served as a regulator, but have significantly contributed to socio- economic development through our various empowerment and educational initiatives, yielding impressive results, not without the unflinching support of president Muhammadu Buhari.”
He conclusively announced that a two day Nigerian Digital Content Conference for to bring operators, stakeholders and associated interest together in a conversation will take place in Lagos in December.
According to him “the conference will be discussing the implications of Nigerian Censorship Laws and Regulatory framework for OTT streaming services and content providers in Nigeria, while we have also set aside another two days for the training of 50 selected emerging youth talents and entrepreneurs in understanding the modules for OTT streaming and its components”
He stated that the initiative is driven by the need to attract young minds into the industry to significantly drive employment, economic growth and create avenue for interaction between the young and old in the digital film ecosystem.
