Commissioners seek November date for NAFEST 2020

State Commissioners for Information and Culture have pleaded with Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State to consider November for hosting the 2020 edition of the National Festival for Arts and Culture in the interest of all stakeholders

The commissioners stated this during the national stakeholders’ technical virtual meeting on NAFEST organised by the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Segun Runsewe.

Lalong had at the meeting, where he was represented by the State Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, Tamwakat Weli, shifted the festival to first week of December to enable organisers to perfect all arrangements, especially with regard to the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

However, stakeholders comprising state Commissioners of Information and Culture, pleaded with the governor to consider sometime in November as the month of December might be too hectic.

They also raised the fears, which they suggested, should be addressed before the festival.

Some of the fears raised are artist accommodation, hotels for officials, security of contingents, adjustment of festival syllabus to incorporate creativity as well as the need to meet wiry respective state governors to convince them to release funds for the event.