Musicians, Others Show Appreciation

Stake holders of the copyright sector, went on a solidarity float through some principal streets of Accra on Wednesday January 5 to show appreciation to Parliament for the passage of the Copyright, Cinematography and Exhibition bill.

The new copyright bill is a revised of version of the PNDC Law 110 (1985) which has come under series of criticism in recent years. The new bill addresses the inadequacies of the former law and will protect intellectual property to a very large extent.

The float was organized therefore, to express appreciation for the tireless effort with which the house deliberated on all aspects of the bill prior to its passage.

The President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and the Board of Chairman of the Copy Right of Ghana (COSGA), Alhaji Sidiku Buari in an interview with reporters before commencement of the float, said that stakeholders were grateful because finally those in the copyright sector have a law that is working in their favour.

?The Parliamentary Select Committee on Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, were with us from the very beginning, consulting with us on all aspects of the bill. When the bill was finally passed it was exactly what we were hoping for and I can confidently say that the law favours most of us,? he said.

The new bill is in seven parts in seven parts consisting of Copyright, the Duration of copyright, Permitted, Transfer of copyright and Ephemeral recordings.

The others are on copies of Sound Recording, Mechanical rights of composers, protection of Performers, Broadcasting houses, Sound Recordings, Producers, National Folklore Board and the seventh part provides for Administration.

The bill as it stands will not only ensure industrial growth but maximum benefit from their creativity and investment. In the end, piracy will cease to be a lucrative enterprise because pirates face stiffer punishment.

Alhaji Sidiku Buari said that prior to the passage of the bill, convicted pirates were fined up to one million cedis, which obviously gave very little compensation the victim of such pirates.

?However with this new bill, a criminal case can be brought against a pirate and they could be fined to the tune of 20 million cedis more. Again the individual owner of a copyright material can bring a civil suit against a pirate to seek appropriate redress?, Alhaji Sidiku commented.

The float which was routed from MUSIGA House through High Street, Opera Square and finally ended up at the Kwame Nkrumah circle was under the auspices of the National Commission on Culture and the Copyright office in collaboration with Video and Film Producers, Distributors Association, Ghana Actors Guild, the Musicians Union of Ghana and other affiliated bodies in the copyright.