Abuja: Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on Thursday took copyright compliance checks to some Abuja markets and schools to clamp down on piracy in the country. The Commission said the purpose of copyright compliance checks was to ensure booksellers and school managements respect and comply with the nation’s copyright laws.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, NCC enforcement operatives inspected Genesis Bookshop, Good Day Books Ltd. at Area 10, Abuja, as well as paying a sensitisation visit to the management of Government Secondary School, Garki, Abuja. Also inspected were Himnet Educational Services and Victory Book Shop at AMAC Market FHA Lugbe Abuja.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the inspection tour, the Director-General of NCC, Dr. John Asein, said the purpose of the copyright compliance check to some Abuja marketplaces was to ensure that booksellers procure books from the right channels. Asein, who was represented by Mrs. Ijeoma Egbunike, NCC Director of Public Affairs, added that the sensitisation visit was imperative as some publishers sold pirated books to schools, hurting the creators and the nation’s economy.
“You know, before now, there seemed to be massive ignorance of what copyright is and what constitutes piracy. But today, we observe that most people seem to know us, who we are as a government regulatory agency, and what our mandates are. We found out that some of them know that it is wrong to purchase pirated materials while some are still purchasing pirated materials, or rather sourcing their books from very wrong channels. And that is why we need to sensitise more because the sensitisation will go a long way to help. We are sensitising, but we need to up our game. So, we will keep doing it so that they will really know the difference between the real copies and the pirated copies,” Asein explained.
He further emphasized that the main purpose of the compliance checks was to ensure booksellers engage with the correct channels for procuring their resources. “Of course, all the publishers have their representatives. So, those representatives are supposed to supply them books. They’re not supposed to go behind to buy books or books that they procure from wrong channels. You find out that most of the shops, they had foreign books. So, we’re asking, how did you get these books? From what channel did you get these books? So, our goal now today is to ensure that they start complying.”
The NCC DG also highlighted the issue of piracy infiltrating schools, noting that it is easier for pirates to sell to schools, making it challenging to track pirated materials inside educational institutions. “So, some of those principals, they know. They know what the right channel is. And when they go off the right channel, it’s intentional. And today we have gone to remind them that this is how you do it, this is what is right. The next time we’re going, we’ll be enforcing our rights.”
In support of the NCC’s efforts, Mr. Dasumi Ibrahim, Managing Director of Himnet Educational Services, expressed his commendation for the Commission’s actions to protect creators’ works. Ibrahim pointed out that customers often complain about the high prices of copyright books compared to cheaper pirated versions. He believes that ongoing copyright compliance checks and sensitisation will help reduce the rising rate of piracy in the country.