Counterfeit Products Destroyed

Information Minister Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha officiated April 25 at the World Intellectual Property Day with a theme “Promoting green innovation as the key to a secure future’. He was among stakeholders who destroyed an assortment of counterfeit products worth K52 billion (US$10,400,000)to mark this year’s World Intellectual Property Day.

The minister called on well-meaning Zambians to root out piracy wherever it appeared. He said Government was losing revenue in import duty on musical and film products while the pirates were not paying the annual three per cent company tax.

“Today’s destruction is therefore a demonstration of Government’s commitment to protecting and promoting intellectual property in Zambia,” he said.

Gen Shikapwasha also appealed to all officers involved in the seizure of counterfeit products to resist the temptation of taking any such material for use in their homes as that would defeat their efforts. He said Government attached great importance to the promotion and protection of intellectual property rights.

Gen Shikapwasha said the intellectual property system would assist Zambia to strike a balance between the interests of innovators, the public and other stakeholders in creating an environment in which creativity and inventions could flourish for everyone’s benefit.

And speaking at the same function, Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Nyirenda, said inventors needed to be protected as they were coming up with brilliant ideas that helped to improve the country’s technology.