The Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), John Asein, has initiated a new programme tagged, Staff Neighbourhood Anti-piracy Surveillance (SNAPS).

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, Mr Asein said that under SNAPS, all staff members would engage in anti-piracy surveillance and copyright awareness activities.

He explained that the initiative was geared towards the actualisation of the Commission’s statutory mandates.

He tasked all staff members to be on the watch out for activities of pirates and endeavour to educate people about copyright in their neighbourhoods.

Mr Asein stated that intelligence gathered during SNAPS on the activities of pirates should be channelled to Heads of Departments and the Director of Enforcement to his Office for prompt actions.

The DG said the Commission would soon introduce a surveillance initiative for stakeholders as a proactive public-private sector collaboration for effective copyright promotion, protection and enforcement strategy.

According to him, the upcoming stakeholders’ SNAPS would enable the Commission to engage and empower copyright stakeholders as the eyes and development partners of NCC in the creative industries.

He said the initiative would assist in building critical synergy in the fight against piracy while boosting public enlightenment on copyright issues nationwide.

NAN reports that the staff surveillance initiative was announced following the recent NCC Staff Monthly Keep-Fit Exercise held at the Millennium Park, Abuja.

A total of 29 staff that participated in the exercise include; Mike Akpan, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics; Obi Ezeilo, Director, Prosecution; and Vincent A. Oyefeso, Director, Public Affairs.

Others in attendance were representatives from DG’s Office, Departments of Legal Services, PRS, Prosecution, Public Affairs, Administration, Finance and Accounts and Nigerian Copyright Institute (NCI).

The DG stated that fitness exercise would henceforth be inbuilt as part of staff promotion examinations.

He said that it was necessary to emphasise the importance of physical fitness for officers of the Commission as Copyright Inspectors and functionaries of an enforcement Agency.

He urged the NCC staff in State Offices to identify with the Keep-fit initiative at the Headquarters by replicating same at their respective Offices.

The exercise is billed to hold on the second Saturday of every month while the DG has hinted that a trophy may be introduced for the best participating Department in subsequent editions.

(NAN)