Copyright Commission secured 57 convictions in 6 years – D-G

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 our correspondent 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.

Our correspondent 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.