The Interim Copyright Management Team (ICMT) overseeing the Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA) under the office of the Attorney-General, Ministry of Justice, has called on all hotels using musical and other copyright works to pay their license fees immediately or face prosecution.
In an interview with BEATWAVES, ICMT members including Carlos Sakyi, Dr. Kwesi Annor, Amandzeba and K.K. Kabobo stated that the time had come for blatant violations of intellectual property rights to end, adding that laws governing use of works like music, films, etc. will be strictly enforced.
Several hotels use copyright works including music to enhance their profitability via live or recorded means, including bands, pianos, CDs, DVDs, or through the use of radio and TV sets, without paying license fees to creators and owners.
According to the Copyright Act 690 and Copyright Regulations LI 1962 enacted by the President and Parliament of Ghana, publicly performing copyright works without authorisation is illegal and carries severe civil remedies and criminal sanctions.
�In several countries including the UK, publicly using musical and other works without permission is considered copyright theft, apart from being an act of gross irresponsibility. The same applies to Ghana,� The ICMT members emphasized.
They stated that all hotels are to pay directly to COSGA office, Adabraka, adjacent to Teachers Hall near Workers College, as the deal with the Ghana Hotels Association to collect copyright license fees on behalf of COSGA was terminated by the ICMT on March 28, 2011.
They called on all commercial users of musical and other works like spinners, shopping malls, internet cafes, restaurants, gymnasiums, banks, airlines, shops, drinking spots, nightclubs, etc. to operate legally by securing copyright licenses.
Currently, a copyright taskforce nicknamed �The Tigers�, consisting of security agents including police personnel, have embarked on a nationwide operation to arrest defaulters throughout Ghana, who will be prosecuted by the courts.
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