The Copyright Office of Ghana is the mandated agency like any ministry arm of government that leads the activities of copyright in the country.
Among others, it advices, coordinates and facilitates the general copyright eco system which includes the work of the Collective organizations like Ghamro, ARSOG and Copy Ghana.
Indeed, the fact is that the existence, operation and regulation of these Societies is upon the expertise, advice and oversight of the Copyright office.
The question however is that what is the state of the Copyright systems and particularly the Collective Management Societies in Ghana today.
Partly the sum of all the issues of the industry, lack of direction, regulation and structure is the failure and abysmal performance of the copyright office.
Today this office is a shadow with no action against piracy which was what put Ghana on the world map with regular action including the establishment of Collecting Societies that we struggled to establish independently but are all on their Knees today.
We can only conclude that the Copyright Office under Madam Yaa Attafah as Acting Administrator for the past 10years has been a disaster and a complete failure.
Against all that we have struggled for, today Music and audiovisual works are freely being used without license due to the incompetence and the lack of vision of Madam Attafuah and the Copyright Office in facilitating the activities of these Societies.
She has been the Acting Copyright Administrator for over 10years and although she was due for Pension in the year 2020, for some strange reason She continued in the Acting Position under some kind of Contract.
Focap is aware that as at May this year 2023 that contract had ended yet she is still parading in the corridors of the Copyright office.
Once a new Officer, Mr. Boadu has been brought to replace her, we believe it’s time She exits with her incompetence and lack of vision for that sector.
It’s just right that Madam goes home to rest and play with her grandchildren since She has been lawfully retired.
We would also like to caution her not to go for any assistance from her school friend at the solicitor general for another contract in fact the Copyright Office have had enough of her and it’s time She takes her leave.
It’s really sad to note that even though she understands everything about these collecting societies, their history and set up, she has woefully supervised their total breakdown.
Again, these Societies have contributed with the deduction of 4% from the blank levy to help her office fight Piracy yet today the streets are full of pirated works with no record of any anti-piracy work. What then is the essence and purpose of the deductions.
It is becoming obvious unless there’s a contrary proof that the existence and proper functioning of Ghamro, Arsog and Copyghana is a disincentive to the Copyright Office hence her attempt to supervise their demise but Focap will like to urge these Societies to exercise their legal rights and use every legal tool at their disposal to resist any machinations and abuse of power from the Copyright Office in order to restore and solidify the existence of the Collective Management Organisations so as to save the Royalties of the Authors and Publishers of the Creative Works in Ghana.
She has failed and must leave the Copyright Office with immediate effect since she has been officially notified.
Kojo Preko Dankwa
President,FOCAP
0550077040
Enoch Agyepong
Vice President, Research
024 471 2136
Mel Kwesi Davis
Vice President
024 655 0298.