Ghana To Put Laws On Internet

The laws of Ghana are to be updated and put on the Internet for foreign investors and the general public to access.An agreement to this effect was signed between the Ministry of Justice and Lexis Nexis Butterworths, a South African publishing firm and their local partners,Data Centa Limited, at a ceremony in Accra yesterday.

Under the agreement, the Government of Ghana will get seven per cent royalties from the sales of the laws in an electronic form and leaflets.Papa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Justice, who initialled the document on behalf of Ghana said this was the second time since 1951 that such an exercise was being carried out to update the laws of the country.

He said the laws were updated for the first time in 1951, but published in 1954. He said the revision of the laws is an ongoing process and his outfit would soon send four people to the South African company to understudy the revitalisation laws of other countries.

Mr Danie Jones ,Sales Manager of the Butherworths in charge of Africa, who signed for his company said Ghana was among four African countries selected to revise and publish their laws. The other countries are Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. He said currently they were working on the laws of 10 countries.

He said Ghana had taken the right steps to update her laws since any foreign investor who came to the country would first ask of its tax liabilities and laws that would protect their investment.Mr Kofi Bentsi-Enchill, Director and Ms Abigail Boateng ,General Manager of the Data Centa, who signed for their outfit said those who wanted to access the laws on the net had to pay some amount before they could do so.