Piracy: NCC signs MoU with publishers, booksellers in Onitsha

The Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) and Onitsha Main Market booksellers associations to check piracy.

The signing of the MoU in Onitsha on Friday was in continuation with the Monitoring and Documentation programme of NCC which was earlier inaugurated by its Director General, Dr John Asein.

Addressing participants at the signing of the MoU, Asein, represented by the commission’s Director of Operations, Mr Obi Ezeilo, said the MoU would help fight piracy.

He added that it would also regulate booksellers activities and foster collaboration among stakeholders.

According to him, with the monitoring and documentation programme, the Commission would collaborate with different stakeholders in the copyright industry.

“To monitor and document all companies, entities and individuals who produce, distribute or commercially deal with copyright protected works including books, music, film, software and among others.

“The Commission will also use this collaboration to fight piracy of these works.

“The monitoring of these outlets enables operatives of the commission to identify possible activities in the industry that facilitate or encourage piracy and work with the stakeholders to remove or stop such activity”, he said.

The NCC Director General noted that parties had agreed to work together to fight piracy in the Onitsha main market.

He said that they also agreed that NPA would work closely with the traders association in providing relevant information about their books, and distributing books in an acceptable manner.

Mr Ben Ukpaka, Chairman Booksellers Association Onitsha Main market,,while speaking to newsmen after the MoU signing, said that the MoU would help to mitigate piracy.