NCC, Multichoice train manpower on broadcast piracy

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has emphasised the importance of protecting creativity, restating its commitment to providing adequate capacity building for its workers.

The commission made stated this at a national broadcast anti-piracy workshop themed: “Broadcast piracy and strategic management” for its workers, organised in collaboration with Multichoice Nigeria Limited in Abuja.

The workshop was attended by NCC management staff, state coordinators as well as enforcement and prosecution officers drawn from across the country.

Other participants included Anti-piracy Manager, Multichoice, Mr. Umar Abdullaziz; and Ms. Tanya Hill of the United States Department of Justice.

According to NCC Director-General, Mr. John Ohi Asein, the workshop was meant to equip copyright officers with relevant knowledge on broadcast piracy. He added that the “commission was determined to provide the staff with necessary technical knowledge and facilities to enhance copyright protection in the country”.

“The protection of creativity is essential to avoid a situation where the country’s creative potentials would be mismanaged by the activities of pirates. The inability to protect the country’s creative works could create a negative impact on Nigeria’s creative industry, which at the moment is rated among the top three in the world,” he said.

The Head of Regulatory, Multichoice Nigeria Limited, Mr Gozie Onumonu, said the broadcast sector was critical to the development of a vibrant film industry, which necessitated frequent dialogue on finding ways of protecting broadcast content.

Onumonu said stemming piracy was difficult, but that with more efforts the menace would be curbed. He said that the workshop would provide a platform for exploring ways of tackling the problem.

Mr. A. Frikkie Jonker of IRDETO, digital security firm, who spoke on “Internet streaming: Piracy as it affects broadcasting industry worldwide”, said the importance of protecting creativity in the digital sphere had been challenged by pirates.

The digital security expert decried the poor institutional response to issues of broadcast piracy, which has impacted negatively on the country’s economy, noting that the problem was a global one.

While calling for collaboration among relevant stakeholders towards ensuring that the menace was eradicated, Jonker proffered a ‘teach-them-young’ approach to curbing piracy by inculcating the ideals of respect for copyright in youths.

Speaking on “Internet streaming and counter Measures-paradigms across the world”, Senior Manager, Cyber Security, Mr B. Barrie Coll, examined the internet security measures put in place by IRDETO, in collaboration with Multichoice, observed that such instruments could be employed by organisations to check the menace of broadcast piracy in the country.

NCC management staff and state coordinators in attendance included Head, Nigerian Copyright Institute (NCI),  Mrs Funmi Adewale; Director Administration, Dr Idowu Ogunkuade; Mrs Adewale, Director, PRS, Mr Mike Akpan; Director, Legal Services, Abdul Ter Kohol esq.; Director, Finance, Mr Mark Obasi and Accounts; Director, Prosecution, Mr Obi Ezeilo; Director, Public Affairs, Vincent Oyefeso; Enforcement, Akwa Ibom State, Idorenyin  Akpakpan; NCC Rivers State Office Coordinator, Mrs Nkechi Ezinma; Enforcement, Kano State Office, Oke Mosunmola and Prosecution, NCC headquarters, Joy Ogbonna.

Others were Enforcement, Oyo, Kayode Fapohunda; Oyo State Coordinator, Olabisi Ogundiran; Enforcement, Headquarters, Sylvester Emeana; Benin State Coordinator, Joseph Akpeh Ajang; Kaduna State Coordinator, Hanatu Mshelia-Swat; Adamawa State Coordinator, Yusuf Ibrahim; Prosecution, Enugu, Paul Anagonye Odirah; Prosecution, Makurdi Marwell Tor-Anyin Torkaa; Prosecution, DGO Headquarters, Moses Ihuma; Kwara State Coordinator. Mrs Justina Akinwumi; Enforcement, Anambra State Office, Gabriel Anakwem; Enforcement, Benin Office, Henry Udomiaye; Akwa Ibom State Coordinator, Elijah Akpan; Assistant Director, Prosecution, Headquarters, Muslim A. Oke; Bauchi State Coordinator, Nasiru Ahmed Tijani; Enforcement, Headquarters, Ajala Oluwafemi; Enforcement, Bauchi, Ahmed Aliyu Dadi; Enforcement, Owerri, Abayomi Jolayemi, and Prosecution, Rivers, Alubo Inalegwu.