The Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB), has appealed to the National Assembly to fast-track passage of the Nigeria Copyright amendment Bill before it, in order to fully domesticate the Marrakesh Treaty.
The treaty makes the production and international transfer of specially adapted books for people with blindness or visual impairments easier, through a set of limitations or exceptions to traditional copyright laws.
Speaking in Abuja over the weekend, the group through its National Chairman, Rilwan Abdulahi described the Marrakesh Treaty as “what we hold so dearly to our hearts, because it is specially advocating education for the over three million blind persons in Nigeria”, adding that the treaty was in consonance with objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The inability of government and stakeholders in the education sector to domesticate the Marrakesh Treaty in Nigeria has continued to deny blind persons access to education on the same pedestal with their sighted counterparts. It is imperative for the government not to forget its responsibility on the treaty which was ratified in October 2017”, he said.
According to Abdulahi, its domestication will facilitate cross-border exchange of materials in accessible formats for the blinds and visually impaired, and allow them compete favourable in education, when the impediments are removed.
While commending executive arm of the federal government for making the treaty a part of the proposed amendment to the copyright law and domestication being awaited, he said it was the hope of the NAB that authors and publishers will heed their call by embracing the production of books in formats accessible to its members.
In his remarks at the media chat, representative of the National Commission for Persons With Disabilities, Lawrence Edelifo assured that he will take all suggestions to the presidency, to see that it work to ensure that the treaty is domesticated and implemented. “This is for the benefit of all Nigerians. Blindness can happen to anybody at any point”, he said.
