NCC creates awareness for stakeholders on curbing piracy

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has begun sensitisation of stakeholders in Uyo metropolis on the need to comply with the Copyright Act as part of measures to curb piracy in the state.

Speaking after the sensitisation exercise in Uyo, on Thursday, Mrs Cordelia Ibanga, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of NCC, said that the exercise had two main purposes.

The first was to monitor the extent of compliance with the NCC Act. The second was to sensitise operators and stakeholders on the provisions of the Act as regards printers and printing presses.

Ibanga stated that the NCC Act requires each printer or printing press to keep a record of its activities with clients. This record details the nature of work done including timelines for delivery.

She educated the operators on the consequences of floating the provisions of the act. She stressed that ignorance of the law was not an excuse.

The NCC state coordinator observed that most of the printers and operators were unaware of the Act and its provisions. They did not keep records. They also failed to register their activities or dealings with their clients.

 “This is against the law and detrimental to their businesses, making them liable accomplices to piracy.

“The measures are towards combating the rising cases of piracy in the state and country.

“The NCC Act empowers the Commission to carry out the exercise, following various meetings and advice to ensure compliance of operators before enforcement,” Ibanga said.

Ibanga added that the sensitisation exercise aimed at reducing piracy, minimising unauthorised reproduction and distribution of creative works.

“Encourage innovation by ensuring creators gain from their work. Strengthen the creative economy and support Nigeria’s creative sector growth,” she said.

The state coordinator urged the operators and stakeholders to shun piracy, adding that such practice harms the growth of the industry. Piracy also negatively impacts the nation’s economy.

Mr Kufre Akpan of Variety Media Suites Printing in Uyo noted that the proliferation of printing presses had led to the rising cases of piracy, as everyone now acts as a printer.

Akpan pledged to collaborate with the commission to stamp out the menace of piracy in the state.

Our correspondent reports that the places visited include: Segmo Printers, Variety Media Suites Printing, Edima Printing Press and Libhat Printers, among others, all in the Uyo metropolis.