Ndola — THE Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services in conjunction with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), security wings and other stakeholders have intensified the fight against piracy in the country.

Recently, the ministry destroyed pirated products worth billions of kwacha which were confiscated from traders in Nakonde.

Piracy is the number one enemy to the development of the music and film industry in the country because pirates reap from where they did not sow by reproducing other people's intellectual works such as music, films and other artistic works.

Pirates also rob Government of the much needed revenue by evading tax.

A survey conducted recently established that Government lost revenue amounting to over K15 billion in a year through piracy. The effects of piracy are perhaps even harsher on the copyright owners themselves such as musicians, and film makers who are robbed of the fruits of their intellectual property.

Another sad thing about piracy is that it does not only rob Government of revenue, as recent raids by law enforcement agencies have revealed that pornographic products are also increasingly being brought into the country through pirated materials. This contributes to the erosion of moral values resulting in the increase in rape and defilement cases.

It is for this reason that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services which is the custodian of Copyright and Performance Rights Act, in conjunction with

ZRA, security wings and other stakeholders, have intensified the fight against piracy

Registrar of Copyright in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Kenneth Musanvu says piracy is to make or reproduce someone's literary or artistic works for importation, selling, letting for hire or exposing without their express permission into Zambia, or any country where Copyright laws apply.

Mr Musanvu adds that piracy is an act of theft as pirators steal other people's intellectual property by using counterfeit materials.

He further defines piracy as unathorised copying of other people's works for commercial purposes. In ordinary language, piracy is simply reaping from where one did not sow.

Recently, the Anti-Piracy Squad in Nakonde conducted raids on buses and confiscated pirated products among them DVDs, VCDs and audio tapes worth billions of kwacha from traders dealing in the illegal business.

The raids in the border town yielded large quantities of pirated materials worth about K6 billion which were destroyed at a ceremony officiated by Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Mr Mike Mulongoti.

Speaking when he officiated at the destruction exercise the Information Minister regretted that Government and Copyright owners were losing huge sums of revenue through piracy.

For Government to effectively fight the problem of piracy, counterfeits and industrial Copyright infringement, there is need for harmony among the various stakeholders involved such as the Zambia Bureau of Standards, the Patents Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Pharmacy and the Poisons Board and the Zambia Revenue Authority," observes Mulongoti.

Mr Mulongoti noted that these institutions have various pieces of legislation that need to be harmonised to effectively win the battle against piracy.

But for this battle to be won, there is need to educate the public on what Copyright and Piracy is.

Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Nyirenda says the responsibility to sensitise and educate the public on matters of copyright lies under his ministry.

"Under my ministry, we have groups that are formed to educate and sensitise people on intellectual property and Copyright. Piracy is stealing other people's works, there is nothing like, this is how we earn our living, we do not steal, no, Using other people's intellectual property without their permission is stealing." stated Mr Nyirenda in Nakonde during the destruction of the pirated products.

Mr Nyirenda warned the pirators to refrain from the illegal trade as the law is now closing in on them.

Copyright Specialist, Kingsley Nkonde says there is need for Government and other stakeholders to cooperate if the fight against piracy is to be won.

"I wish to appeal to Government to support this noble fight and assist us with transport and other logistics because we only depend on one vehicle," said Mr Nkonde

Indeed, piracy is an enemy to both Government and copyright owners. It is only hoped that pirators will take heed the warning and start supporting Government in its quest to fight piracy and other counterfeits.