In a bid to reposition the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) to provide the needed policy direction for the sustainable promotion and development of the Nigerian motion picture industry including all matters relating to the proposed amendments to its Act

The House of Representatives has promised the Motion Picture Practitioners Council (MOPICON) that the bills would receive accelerated passage when eventually presented to the House.

This was disclosed when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation, led by its Chairman, Hon. Dino Melaye, visited the NFC in Jos to inspect facilities and structures at its headquarters. The visit also took the lawmakers to the National Film Institute where on-going projects at its Lamingo permanent site, South-East of Plateau State, were also inspected.

Other members who accompanied the chairman on the visit included the committee deputy chairman, Adah Paul Andeshi; Bashir O. Bolarinwa; Segun Akinloye and Eluemunoh Chinedu Godswill.

At the end of the tour, Melaye, on behalf of members, expressed satisfaction on the vision of the Adesanya led Management of NFC to turn around the corporation.

He further informed the people that his team was satisfied with on-going and completed projects. He added that the location of the permanent site for the corporation would provide a conducive environment not only for administrative functions, but also an ideal location for film production and other auxiliary activities that go with the motion picture business.

Melaye said, the time for government to give adequate attention to the motion picture industry in Nigeria using the NFC as a pivot was, indeed, now.

According to him, "it is regrettable that an agency like the NFC, which plays significant roles in the film industry in Nigeria is highly and grossly under funded by the Government." This, he said, fell short of the standard practice globally.

He, however, assured that members of his committee would through legislative provisions change the situation. This, he maintained would be to immediately initiate actions to make the Federal Government refunds the NFC all the money meant for capital projects that are on-going. The withdrawal of such funds from the 2007 budget, in his words, "was a negative, concomitant effect on the training and re-training of students," adding that this portends a dangerous trend in the execution of projects, which have been duly appropriated for and have also gone through due process.

The motion picture industry, the information committee said, has recorded some commercial successes, but still requires improvement on its content and distribution network to be at par with the world best. The industry, he noted, must also be standardised due to constant changes in the science and technology of film production, calling on film makers to be resourceful especially as the industry was in dire need of measures to make the Nigerian motion picture sector to meet up quickly with globally accepted standards of film production.

Addressing the visiting team, the Managing Director of NFC, Afolabi Adesanya, thanked the members for visiting the corporation. He expressed optimism that with the visit, the lawmakers were able to appreciate the various achievements and challenges facing the NFC.

Meanwhile, in Lagos, the Minister Of Information and Communication has held a roundtable discussion on 'Financial Sector Involvement In The Nigeria Film Industry' at the CIBN house, Victoria Island.

The roundtable talk which was attended by representatives of about 12 banks which included Access Bank, Afribank, Ecobank, Diamond Bank, Sterling Bank and Unity Bank and stakeholders in the film industry including the CEO of Big Pictures-Charles Igwe, the CEO of AMAA-Peace Fiberisima, Joke Silva, Charles Novia, the CEO of African Independent Television, Raymond Dokpesi and Adeshina Adesanya while the talk had Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi as its chairman with Sonny Irabor, as the compere.

Speaking to the press at the event, representative of the minister, Nbam, said he the need to improve the quality of production in Nollywood movies necessitates the involvement of sponsors. He said he foresaw an improvement in the relationship between both parties, according to him "from the comments, a lot of them said they are not aware of certain things in the industry, so they are learning. We expect that, since elsewhere, the production of films have been profitable, there is no reason why it won't work in Nigeria."

Also speaking, Joke Silva said from the turnout of the event, it shew that there was an interest in the film industry as regards the financial aspect, though they were unsure on how best to intervene in a way that would be mutually beneficial to all. She also expressed the desire to know the experiences of Ecobank Plc and the management of project, adding that this would form a blueprint for other financiers who sought to partner with producers in the nation's film industry.