The umbrella body of publishers in Nigeria, Nigerian Publishers Association, NPA has held its 2022 annual conference and general meeting with an appeal on President Muhammadu Bubari to expedite action to assent to the amended Copyright Bill passed into law by the National Assembly.

This according to the association will save members from further copyright infringement and huge financial loss associated with criminal piracy in the country.

While thanking both chambers of the the National Assembly for passage of the Bill, the association noted that timely presidential assent will strengthen the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC in its fight to reduce infringement of copyrights.

"We express appreciation to the Senate and House of Representatives for passing the copyright amendment Bill, it's not yet uhuru. It's going to be a giant step in redefining copyright profession in Nigeria.

"All we ask today is that President Muhammadu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces will do well to quickly assent to that Bill so that it becomes law.

"The biggest plague we have is copyright infringement, it's so criminally done in this part of the world that a lot of publishers are almost going underground, a timely passage of that Bill will strengthen the NCC, one body that has done so much in the fight against piracy" the President and Chairman-in-Council of NPA, Dr. Uchenna Cyril Anioke told participants in his welcome address at the 2-day conference/AGM in Abuja on Thursday.

With the theme, "Redefining Publishing and Reading Culture in a Digital Era" the association while reiterating its resolve to provide Nigerians with more quality books to strengthen the country's education sector also called for publishing in indigenous languages, just like China, North Korea, Indonesia and other developed countries, saying it will be a quantum leap in redefining publishing apart from churning out publications in just English language.

According to the President and Chairman-in-Council of NPA, people hide their ideas and invention in their indigenous language, stressing that if more books are published in Nigerian languages starting from nursery to tertiary level, it will give the country an edge to favourably compete with nations who have climbed the ladder of development.

Dr. Anioke expressed the readiness of the association to assist in this regard, appealing to the federal government to activate its relevant agencies to partner with NPA as well as in translating "worthy books" to indigenous languages.

This he said will prepare the Nigerian academic institutions on the pathway to teaching courses such as engineering, medicine and others in indigenous languages in line with redefining publishing and reading in the country.

In his remarks, chairman of the occasion and the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Toby Okechukwu extolled the role of publishers in country's development especially in making quality books available for the masses.

"As a matter of fact, it is through reading that the world can develop. As you all know, publishers are important medium in bringing that capacity to the public.

"It is through reading that you can appropriate the world. You can travel round the world without moving an inch because through books you can see what is happening in other countries. Reading can help you appropriate, import and export ideas" the lawmaker stated.

While urging NPA to engage in more follow-up to the Nigerian Copyright Amendment Bill passed into law since July and ensure the President acts on it, Hon. Okechukwu pledged the readiness of the National Assembly to continue to use the instrumentality of the gavel to protect the intellectual property of the publishers and advance the welfare of Nigerians generally.

The keynote speaker at the occasion and the chairman Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC Prof. A.K Usman said time has come to navigate towards digital publishing in line with the theme of the conference.

This he said is more cost effective, gives authors and publishers visibility, reduces losses associated with damage or unsold copies of books, gives readers opportunity to have books in their digital devices as well as create opportunity for authors and publishers to earn more revenue.

He therefore called on publishers to raise the tempo in digital publishing in line with the global trend.

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Chief Osita Okechukwu thanked NPA for the theme of the conference, saying contrary to assumptions that publishers will incur losses in a digital era, he noted that the digital copies are paid for and not sold for free.

According to him, Internet has come to stay and groups must leverage on it to break boundaries and reach international audiences.

Highlight of the event was the recognition with award of excellence on individuals and organisations who have been of immense value in supporting the activities of NPA.

https://equitynews.ng/2022/11/26/nigerian-publishers-association-holds-agm-seeks-presidential-assent-to-copyright-amendment-bill/

Colourful

NPA conference was superb