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THE Performing Musicians Association of Nigerian (PMAN), under the caretaker committee headed by Pretty Okafor, launched a biometrics system for the Nigerian music industry in Lagos, on Sunday, calling it a final solution to piracy.
The biometrics system, which allows registered members access to life insurance, health insurance and a pension scheme with the issuance of an ID card, was launched in the presence of music veterans such as former president of PMAN, Charles Oputa alias Charley Boy, Ras Kimono, Sunny Nneji, Ruggedman, Felix Duke, Shasha, among others.
Speaking to Lagos Metro on the biometrics initiative, the caretaker chairman of PMAN, Okafor, stated that the trying times of Nigerian musicians were over, as the music industry had found a solution to piracy.
“We have finally solved the problem of the industry,” he said.
With the biometric identity card, he stated that not only would the welfare of artistes be secured, but also that the system would ensure they reap the fruit of their labour.
“We now have a structure. Members who register their names in our new database will have all their works sent from PMAN to GS1 to encrypt and from GS1 to the replicating plant.
“This will help monitor all your works across the world. Right now, no Nigerian music CD has been encrypted or backcoded. Whenever, a song is downloaded or played online anywhere in the world, the musician will get accounted credited.
“Every CD will be encrypted so that it will be hard to pirate. As soon as you register with PMAN, we will backroll all your songs so that you will be getting paid for any download and online play.
“We are also trying to educate musicians, both old and new, to get involved. We are doing so much awareness creation on the newly launched biometric ID card.
“We are also having conferences, workshop and seminars for our members. Every registered member will benefit from the new initiative being put together by PMAN,” he said.
