FEC okays Copyright, Maritime Piracy Bills

The Federal Executive Council on Thursday approved the Copyright Bill and the Suppression of Piracy and Maritime Offences Bill. The approval was given at a meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting. With the approval, Malami said the council had directed him to forward the bills to the National Assembly for consideration and passage. 

The minister explained that the Copyright Bill related to the creative industry. He said it was meant to ensure the protection of creative works against piracy and protection of intellectual property rights. “The bill was approved by the council and the Attorney General had been accordingly instructed to send it to the National Assembly for passage into law and eventual assent by the President if passed,” he said. 

Malami added that the intention of the memo relating to the suppression of piracy and maritime offences was to accord protection to the maritime industry against piracy. He said a comprehensive policy position was incorporated into the bill which was intended to ensure that the international conventions that had been ratified by Nigeria overtime in relation to maritime industry were accommodated. 

The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibrin, said the council approved the revision of the National Biceptive Management Agency. The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, added that the council approved a memo relating to the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, which has been in existence since 1953. 

“The regulations had been submitted to the council and the council approved them for the President to endorse so that those regulations can be put into practice for the protection of livestock,” he said.


Punch