By Idris Olukoya

The Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) and Booksellers Association of Nigeria in Lagos to curb piracy.

The MoU was signed by the Director-General of NCC, Dr John Asein; President of NPA, Dr Cyril Anioke and President of Booksellers Association of Nigeria, Mr Dare Oluwatoye, on Thursday in Lagos.

Addressing the gathering, Asein said that the MoU would help to strengthen the relationship between the commission and the associations.

He added that the MoU would regulate the activities of the associations, foster collaborations among stakeholders and collectively fight piracy.

“The commission will also use this alliance to fight piracy of intellectual works.

“There is no hidden place for piracy any longer in the industry, the commission will ensure it gets rid of piracy in the society.

“The commission will continue to do its best to sanitise the industry and make it a profitable sector for relevant stakeholders,” he said.

Asein noted that the parties had agreed to work together to fight piracy in Lagos state and across the country.

He said that the parties would work closely with other relevant stakeholders in providing relevant information about their books and the distribution of those books in an acceptable manner.

He said that the NCC would not entertain factionalisation in the industry.

“All stakeholders must operate under one umbrella in order to collectively fight piracy and to weed out saboteurs in the industry,” he said.

Also speaking, Anioke said the MoU would help to mitigate the activities of piracy across the country.

“We are investing our intellectual properties into the sector, we need to reap from our investment.

“The policy of the government should caption, protect and secure the interest of the publishers for the progress of the book industry, which the NCC is doing greatly in that aspect,” he said.

Anioke urged investors and relevant stakeholders in the creative industry to play by the rules.

“Do the right thing, play by the rules of the association and invest reasonably in order to reap significantly from your investment,” he said.

Also, Oluwatoye, President, Booksellers Association of Nigeria, said that the MoU would help to sanitise the industry.

He applauded government for the development  achieved in the industry.

Oluwatoye said that the present NCC had changed the narrative compared with what was obtainable in the past.

He noted that the present regime is doing so much in the fight against piracy.

“NCC has been proactive in addressing stakeholders challenges in the industry.

“They have been assertive in enforcing the law and very active and effective in their operations,” he added.

Earlier, Mr Lanre Adesuyi,  the Group Managing Director, Havilah Group, commended the efforts of the NCC in the fight against piracy, advocacy and campaign across the country.

“I believe the books industry have a future now, where the relevant stakeholders can now enjoy the dividends of their hard work.

“With this giant feat of NCC in sanitising the industry, authors will be motivated to write more, dish out knowledge for public consumption and publishers and book sellers will have work to do.

“I am happy that government is taking the book industry seriously now and with that the society will be more informed with necessary knowledge when authors are producing more books,” he said.(NAN).(www.nannews.ng).

Edited by Remi Koleoso/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma