The Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Benue state chapter, has expressed willingness to partner the Nigeria Copyright Commission, NCC, to stamp out intellectual and creative theft in the state.
The State Association Chairman, Mr. Charles Iornumbe, stated this while addressing members, stakeholder and officials of the Commission at its September reading held in Makurdi.
Mr. Iornumbe who expressed displeasure at the increasing theft of intellectual and creative works in the state, called on NCC which is saddled with the responsibility of tackling these menace to brace up towards ending it and bring those behind it to book.
Former Minister of Education and the 9th National President of ANA, Jerry Agada, encouraged people to write books, poems and as well as do a compendium of their literacy works together saying writing is an art that must be kept alive.
The Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Center, FMC, Makurdi, Mr. Peteru Inunduh, who became a member following his confirmation by the chairman of the occassion, Jerry Agada and subsequently affirmed by Charles Iornumbe, thanked the Association for making him one of them.
Mr. Inunduh, decried the level of reading culture of Nigerians stating that because of this he has instituted scholarships for literary works in some secondary schools in the state and in Uganda.
He however, pledged to give his best to support the Association to grow and achieve its lofty ideas.
The Benue zonal coordinator of NCC, Thomas Mgbanngun, who accepted that the commission has an enormous task, assured that the new leadership will ensure intellectual and property theft is stamped out.
Mgbanngun said their is a strategic plan to change the narrative very soon under the leadership of the new Director- General saying they will soon commence enforcement by visiting most book shops in the state to confiscate pirated works.
