The Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to accelerate the implementation of the Levy on Copyright Materials.
Chairman AVRS, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, according to a statement signed by AVRS Acting General Manager, Adeyemi Olubukola, made this call during the society’s 4th Annual General Meeting which held virtually on Thursday.
While calling on the National Assembly for a quick passage of the reviewed Draft Bill of the Copyright Law, Ali-Balogun also appealed to the Nigerian Copyright Commission to speedily send the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances to the National Assembly for domestication and implementation.
“The law and regulation necessary for the implementation of the copyright levy has since being made and its continued delay denies us, right owners in the creative sector, access to legitimate income that should have accrued to us from our sweat.
“The government cannot say that it wants to grow the creative industries and yet fails to quickly implement the levy on copyright materials, domestication and implementation of the Beijing Treaty and passage of the Copyright Bill 2015,” the statement quoted him as saying.
He also announced that the general assembly ratified the Board’s recommendation on the review of the ratio of the composition of membership of the different right holder groups within the Company, bringing it in compliance with international best practice. With this, he added, AVRS will be able to participate on the global stage within the network of rightholder organisations for the maximum benefit of AVRS and its members.
Speaking virtually from its Abuja Head Office, Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), John Asein, commended the modest strides AVRS has made so far and promised it the continued support of NCC.
Among the industry stakeholders present at the meeting were Jide Kosoko, Francis Onwochei, Alhaji Sani Muazu, Ejike Asiegbu, Kunle Afolayan, Yemi Solade, Lillian Amah-Aluko, Chidinma and Chidiebere Aneke (Aneke Twins).
Also present were DGN President, Fred Amata and MOPPAN President, Ahmad Sarari, among several others.