NCAC's copyright director urges creators to register their works

Hassoum Ceesay, the director of copyright at the national center for arts and culture (NCAC) made a clarion call to Gambian artists, musicians, photographers, film makers, painters, dramatists, producers etc to come and register their works like albums, DVDs, books and other creative works to be protected.
Addressing journalist at the NCAC conference room, the director said the copyright law has been with us since 2004 to protect Gambian artists and artistic works, and continued to underscore the importance of copyright towards building a more productive and job creating industry for the artists. He noted that several sensitization programs with stakeholders and training workshops have been made on copyright issues funded by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) , and that the Gambia has also join the West African copyright network which brings together West African countries.
According to the copyright director, the NCAC is mandated by the law to establish an office to register the creative works of Gambians. In 2003, the president of the republic signed the NCAC act 2003 which says “Television and radio services shall promote Gambian arts and culture through their programmes and, accordingly, shall apportion not less than seventy percent of the total time allocated to music programmes to advancing Gambian music”.
Copyright which is an intellectual property law enacted by countries to give owner(s) of an original works exclusive rights in  forms of poems, theses, plays, other literary works, movies, dances, musical compositions, audio recordings, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, software, radio and television broadcasts, graphic designs and industrial designs etc. In the Gambia where Intellectual Property is understood by few and entitled to all forms of abuses, Mr. Ceesay took it upon himself to sensitize the public especially those in the area of literature, performing, and fine arts about the benefits of registering works.
IMPORTANCE OF COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION
1- To proof ownership of copyright
2-The registration will be used by The Gambian collecting societies to collect royalties/monies from radios, hotels, TV, clubs, etc for the creators/owners.
3-The collecting societies set rates for royalties
4-It improves the financial status of artists/owners