By CALEB AYANSINA

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke last week commissioned cultural-industrial centre built in a bid to alleviate poverty.

The project located in Gidan Ajia Orozo, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is one of the 12 cultural-industrial centers waiting to be commissioned in the 6 – Geo political zones of the country.

At the commissioning, the Minister said the centre was built to provide cultural services to their immediate communities and build capacities in entrepreneurial activities.

This according to him is to create jobs in line with the vision 20-2020 objective of the Federal Government.

Represented at the event  by his Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, Duke said the cultural activities  include crafts, prints, weaving, pottery, beading and  further research into how these cultural services can become more viable.

He called on States across the nation to work together with his Ministry to strengthen the contribution of the cultural industries to the economic growth and opportunities in various states.

The Minister made  the imperative of  Private Sector partnerships in running the activities of the Cultural centres and in helping to  contribute through investments to  the taking of the nation’s economy to the next step.

The Permanent Secretary, Mrs Ibukun Odusote represented by the Director Culture Alhaji Abdulkadir Mukhtar said the cultural industries which are knowledge – based and labour intensive are known to have capacities to create employment and wealth.

These industries which hitherto have enjoyed adequate attention by various governments according to her, are today increasingly growing to assume major economic significance in the history of the sector.

In his remark, the Seriki of Gidan Ajia, Alhaji Sule Baba extended the gratitude of the entire Gidan Ajia Community and promised not to let the Ministry down in the usage of the facilities provided.

The 12 Cultural Industries centres where the industries are located include Enugu, Taraba, Ondo, Benue, Sokoto and FCT.