By Rotimi Ijikanmi
Abuja – The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has called for the review of Private Copy Levy (PCL) to conform with the changing trend in technology.
The minister made the call in Abuja when he received a delegation of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) led by its Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji.
Section 40 of the Nigerian Copyright Act provides for the PCL to give cushion for practitioners and investors in the creative industry who suffer from the effect of copying and downloading of music, movies and literature.
Addressing the delegation of COSON, the minister said the government approved copyright collective management organisation for musical works and sound recordings, “there are issues needed to be resolved before the implementation of the law”.
“When the law was being signed, the level of technology was not what it is today and if we are going to implement it, we are going to run into a lot of challenges.
“My advice is that we should look at that law again for any possible amendment to take care of challenge of technology, otherwise we may not be able to implement it effectively.
“Today, given the fact that the telecommunication industry has taken over what used to be the primary roles of other agencies, it has become more difficult to track recorded works of arts.
“People today download music and video free of charge online and it will be difficult to know, track and compel them to pay.
“But, I believe that there must be a way out when we sit down together and rub minds on how we can make the law more efficient.
“This is where COSON, My office, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and other relevant agencies needed to collaborate.’’
According to the minister, the problem of the creative industry begins and ends with piracy, the practitioners have pivotal role in addressing the menace.
In addressing the challenge, the minister advised that the creative industry should take cue from Lagos State Government that set up Security Trust Fund to confront insecurity in the state.
“The state set up the fund when they realised that left with the Nigerian Police, criminals will take over the whole of Lagos.
“They invited the major stakeholders who were being robbed everyday like banks, telecommunication industry, eateries and tell them if they want to survive, they must join hands together.
“They contributed money which was put in a trust fund and run by the private sector with representative of government.
“With the fund, they were able to identify the issues of security, purchase vehicles, helicopters, gunboat and improved on salary of the security agents.
“I believe that it is time that the creative industry has a similar task force to fight piracy because if you leave it to the police, you will not achieve anything,’’ he said.
Earlier, Okoroji said the delegation was in the ministry to encourage the government to place more emphasis on the creative industry in its diversification agenda,
Okoroji noted that in thinking outside the box for the nation’s economic recovery, the creative industry had the potential to become the new oil for the country.
According to him, there is a change across the globe on wealth creation from the bricks and mortars to the creative industry’.
The COSON president urged the government to address the challenges which the society identified as major impediments to the growth of the industry.