By Ade Adeloye , Ibadan
Nigerian Publishers Association, NPA, on Wednesday lamented the outrageous costs of book review imposed by the State Governors across the country especially Governors in the six South West states, declaring that it responsible for the high cost of books .
The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Publishers Association, Mr Emmanuel Abimbola made this declaration yesterday during a media parley with newsmen at the NUJ, Oyo State Council, Ibadan .
Mr Abimbola who was flanked by the Director of Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC Dr John Assein and Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Ademola Babalola further explained that the exorbitant cost imposed on book review is only peculiar to the South West zone adding that the publishers don’t experience such difficulties in the South East zone where N50,000 is charged for book review.
He stressed that as much as he supports periodic book review to ascertain the quality of books used by students, he said education is a social service that citizens should enjoy.
Abimbola who claimed that a commissioner in the Southwest once told him and other executive members of NPA that book review was a mean of generating funds for the state warned that the prices of books will continue to high unless urgent steps is taken to reduce the cost of book review.
The Director General of Nigerian Copyright Commissioner,NCC, Dr John Asein in his said the commission is finding it difficult to prosecute the copyright offenders the author in most cases lost interest due long adjournment and times transfer of the judges.
Apart from this ,Dr.Asein noted that the culprits at time reach out to the author and in such the author show no interest in the prosecution again .
He hinted that the advent of social media has been a blessing as well as a curse because of its attendant problems.
On piracy of materials, movies, he said the commission has taken some step to protect the publishing space.
