Mr Afam, Ezekude, the Director-General, Nigerian Copyright
Commission says it has secured more than 57 convictions of persons
involved in piracy and copyright entrenchments in the country.
Ezekude made this known in an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
“I want to categorically say that over the last six and half
years, the commission in terms of prosecution has secured 57
convictions.
“However, some of them have led to prison sentences for
copyright infringements. So you can see that the commission is
doing enough to sanitise the creative industry.
“I totally disagree with any view point that we are not doing
enough in addressing piracy in the country. With these
convictions, it is obvious that the commission is up and doing,
Ezekude said.
The NCC boss also maintained that the recent meeting of the
National Working Group on copyright licensing in tertiary
institutions organised by Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria
(REPRONIG) was a welcome development.
He explained that the meeting was organised to design a
framework for licensing of tertiary institutions in terms of
photocopy of copyright materials in their campuses.
“The framework will facilitate the establishment of structures
with the view to authors and publishers of such works that are
being photocopied in their campuses to be compensated for their
works.
“So, the meeting is going to come up with that framework to
start the process of licensing of tertiary institutions in the
country,’’ Ezekude said.
NAN reports that that NCC was established in August 1989, by the
Copyright Decree No.47 of 1988 now codified as Copyright Act (CAP.
C28, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004).
Sequel to the copyright amendments of 1992 and 1999, the
statutory mandate of the commission was expanded to include the
administration, enforcement, protection, promotion and regulation
of copyright in Nigeria.
Mr Afam, Ezekude, the Director-General, Nigerian Copyright
Commission says it has secured more than 57 convictions of persons
involved in piracy and copyright entrenchments in the country.
Ezekude made this known in an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
“I want to categorically say that over the last six and half
years, the commission in terms of prosecution has secured 57
convictions.
“However, some of them have led to prison sentences for
copyright infringements. So you can see that the commission is
doing enough to sanitise the creative industry.
“I totally disagree with any view point that we are not doing
enough in addressing piracy in the country. With these
convictions, it is obvious that the commission is up and doing,
Ezekude said.
The NCC boss also maintained that the recent meeting of the
National Working Group on copyright licensing in tertiary
institutions organised by Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria
(REPRONIG) was a welcome development.
He explained that the meeting was organised to design a
framework for licensing of tertiary institutions in terms of
photocopy of copyright materials in their campuses.
“The framework will facilitate the establishment of structures
with the view to authors and publishers of such works that are
being photocopied in their campuses to be compensated for their
works.
“So, the meeting is going to come up with that framework to
start the process of licensing of tertiary institutions in the
country,’’ Ezekude said.
NAN reports that that NCC was established in August 1989, by the
Copyright Decree No.47 of 1988 now codified as Copyright Act (CAP.
C28, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004).
Sequel to the copyright amendments of 1992 and 1999, the
statutory mandate of the commission was expanded to include the
administration, enforcement, protection, promotion and regulation
of copyright in Nigeria.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/copyright-commission-secured-57-convictions-in-six-years-says-d-g/