BUCHANAN – The Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) has concluded a two-day awareness drive on intellectual property in Grand Bassa County.
The initiative, held from September 12-13 in Buchanan City, is a key component of LIPO’s ongoing campaign to educate the public about intellectual property (IP). The campaign covers critical areas like trademarks, patents, copyrights, and industrial designs while promoting respect for IP rights.
The Buchanan tour, which ended with a lively street jam, kicked off with a series of awareness meetings involving a broad spectrum of local stakeholders, including representatives from the Mayor’s Office, educators from Grand Bassa University College, and several high schools, including Bassa High and the Seventh-day Adventist School.
During the meetings, participants explored the establishment of a Technology and Innovation Support Center and the creation of an Intellectual Property High School Club, with commitments made for follow-up. The LIPO delegation also appeared on Ableejay Radio, Grand Bassa’s most prominent and widely listened-to station, extending the reach of the IP awareness campaign and engaging a broader audience.
“The excitement and interest from the people of Bassa in learning more about the intellectual property were overwhelming,” noted Ms. Jamus P. Bannah, LIPO Program, and Outreach Manager. “This reinforces the importance of our IP awareness campaign, which aims to educate our citizens about the value of intellectual property protection and respect.”
“Grand Bassa, like many other counties, is teeming with creative and innovative talents that remain untapped due to a lack of knowledge about how to protect their ideas and benefit economically. We are making this investment to provide them with the knowledge they need,” Ms. Bannah added.
Speaking in one of the meetings, Buchanan City Manager Thomas K. Nimely expressed the county leadership’s excitement over LIPO’s visit, calling it a historic moment for the people of Buchanan and Grand Bassa County at large.
Mr. Nimely added that LIPO’s efforts are an eye-opener as they provide the people of Bassa with the knowledge needed to “fully utilize IP laws to protect their creativity and innovations” while respecting IP rights.
“Educating our people about intellectual property opens doors to economic empowerment and the development of our local industries,” Mr. Nimely said. “This is a major step toward ensuring that our creators and innovators are properly recognized and rewarded for their work.”
Although the concept of IP can be complex, Ms. Bannah and her team broke it down into simple terms during their interactions with Liberians from all walks of life in Buchanan City.
Intellectual property rights, while exclusive, are deeply integrated into the daily lives of all Liberians. For instance, the smartphone, the logo on shoes or clothes, and the software used for work or entertainment are all examples of someone’s or a company’s IP, protected by various legal frameworks.
These logos, designs, and even the technology inside a smartphone are the result of legal protections provided by IP, ensuring that ownership is recognized and that no one can use, copy, or profit from these innovations without permission from the owner.
The Grand Bassa awareness drive, following a similar initiative in Montserrado County, aims not only to educate the public on IP and enhance the protection of IP assets but also to combat piracy and demonstrate how IP rights can stimulate economic growth, encourage entrepreneurship, and safeguard local innovations.
Other components of the three-month awareness campaign include the “Intellectual Property Hour” on JoyFM and a “Social Media Influencers Campaign,” both designed to amplify the message of IP protection and engage broader audiences.
The IP Hour on JoyFM is a weekly radio program that provides in-depth information on various aspects of intellectual property, featuring expert discussions and public interactions. Additionally, the social media campaign utilizes platforms like Facebook to share information, engage with the public, and encourage active participation in discussions about intellectual property issues.
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