A legal luminary and former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, MoB, has called for an extensive amendment of the National Films and Video Censors Board, NFVCB Act for better effectiveness and enforcement

Speaking at a two-day capacity building for the officials of Agency taking place in Abuja Hon Bamidele, who was the Chairman of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office ( NABRO) also canvassed for a closer working relationship between the National Films and Videos Censors Board ( NFVCB) and law enforcement agencies in the country.

According to him, “The main thrust of every legal instrument is to enforce compliance and to ensure that the wrong being corrected by the dictates of the law is not in any way perpetrated by the offender again.”

“Without doubt, we are all aware that the NFVCB is a creation of the determination to regulate films and videos which tend to promote social misdemeanours such as violent brigandage, child and women trafficking, prostitution, internet fraud, theft, armed robbery, homos3xuality, corruption, child labour, tribal conflicts, cult rivalry and other acts that may be harmful to individuals welfare and national security.”

He said because the NFVCB Act was conceived as a legislation meant to protect the overriding public interest, its strength should be upheld and the weaknesses exposed and corrected.

According to him, “For instance, Part V, sections 17 and 20 of the Act did not envisage the need for online registration and censorship of films and video, neither can there be any penalty for unregulated but circulated creative works on the Internet in Nigeria.

“In the same vein, according to sections 24, 43, 49, 50 and 60 of the Act, the penalties awarded against offenders who engaged in the obstruction of policemen from inspecting film premises, the unlawful exhibition of restricted films and video, reproduction of certificate of censorship approved by the Board for a film, the production of uncensored and unapproved copies of posters as well as the supply of video recording not in conformity with the Boards regulation were stipulated as N2,500; N1,000; N5,000; N5,000 and N2,500 respectively.

“These are extremely low penalties for offenders especially for producers of films who, produce in commercial quantities.”

“It is quite ridiculous that the penalties for these grievous and very damaging offences do not commensurate with the magnitude of havoc meted out on the innocent citizens which the NFVCB Act was meant to, protect in the first place,”

Speaking on the issue of collaboration between the Organisation and law enforcement agencies, the former lawmaker said “It has been observed over time, that the failure of the Board to synergise strategically with relevant Law Enforcement agencies had weakened its enforcement and prosecutorial efficiency.

“Therefore, for effective market monitoring, enforcement of the law, investigation of cases and prosecution of offenders, it is instructive that the Board must invest and devise more creative measures in collaborating with law enforcement agencies, especially in Nigeria.”

“The law enforcement agencies include: the Nigeria Police, the Federal Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”

Culled From: www.tribuneonlineng.com