Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board – Lagos State Government
The Executive Secretary of Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Mr Bamidele Balogun has urged cinemas across the state to ensure and maintain a safe, conducive and standard viewing halls for film lovers and viewers across the state.
He made the statement during a working visit to some of the Cinemas operating within the state. He emphasised that it has become imperative for the State Government to see to the safety measures imbibed by cinema operators in order to regulate and monitor their operations.
He said further that considering the status of Lagos as a SMART CITY, it is known to always set the pace for excellence hence, the Nigeria film industry particularly those operating in Lagos must be of international standard and must abide and conform to the set rules and regulations.
Balogun said that ‘standard safety measures in cinemas is not negotiable as the lives and safety of the citizens is very key to the State Government. We all know and agree that an average Lagosian is a fun lover hence the need to ensure that they are safe and secured’.
According to him, some of the safety measures which must be in place includes functional fire extinguishers, fire stands, functional air conditioners to prevent suffocation, at least one entrance and one exit in every hall among others.
Balogun stated that it is part of the agency’s mandates and functions to regulate the activities of cinemas operating within the State through registration and granting of licenses to operators. He added that the Agency has registered and licensed 16 cinemas currently operating within the State and ready to license more.
Balogun however noted that the Agency would continue to pay an unscheduled visit more often to ensure that standard are not compromised whilst assuring them of the State Government commitment to the growth and development of Cinemas. Amongst the cinemas visited were Mega 1 and Ebonylife cinemas at Lekki and Victoria Island respectively.
