By Amadou Manjang
A Gambian lawyer has urged Gambian content creators, designers, artists, innovators, and writers among others, to protect their intellectual properties by registering their works with the competent authorities.
Counsel Yusupha Jallow made this remark during a weber presentation concerning intellectual properties in sub-Saharan Africa, during a zoom meeting.
According to Counsel Jallow, registration of intellectual property makes it easy to protect one’s rights and to seek redress when infringement occurs.
‘If your intellectual property is not registered and infringement occurs, then the burden lays on you to prove that the property is originally yours, but when you register your work, it helps in your case,’ he said.
He added that intellectual properties have to be expressed to be protected, but said when they are in the form of ideas, they are not protected. Counsel Jallow further said that Gambian creators and innovators are aware of their rights, adding that they should license their properties. He said registration of intellectual property in the Gambia is free and people can sue anyone who infringes on their works. He said ‘trademark’ and other designs can be registered for less than a hundred dalasi, and said people need to utilise their intellectual properties to benefit society, adding that it can promote creativity and innovation. Counsel Jallow added that the collective society organisation that is responsible for licensing in the Gambia is dormant, but said despite this, people should register their intellectual property because Africa is yet to realise its full potential.
‘We need more intellectual property management platforms to protect our rights. We cannot create content and lose them to people,’ he said.
Zainabou Sissoho, who represented the Ministry of Justice on copyright and the youth in the creative industry, said the youth and women should be equipped with copyright laws and registration to protect their creativity. She shared the story of one Mariama Saggy who invented the Power Cart Solar Machine for vendors. This machine has an in-built freezer, charging system, and fruit-slicing device powered by solar energy.
‘‘This work has been protected as a utility model in the Gambia,’’ she said and urged other creators and innovators to register their ideas and innovations to protect their properties.
Alagie Sambou, a lawyer cum an intellectual property official with the Gambia Consumer Protection, said Gambian creators are not benefiting from their creations. He said the enforcement of the law should ensure that people benefit from their creations, crafts, and innovations.
