Ghana cracks down on unauthorized droadcasts of creative works

The Ghana Copyright Office has issued a strong warning to television stations across the country, urging them to stop airing copyrighted content without proper authorization. The Office has emphasized that violators could face severe legal consequences, including heavy fines and possible jail time.

In a statement released on June 11, the National Anti-Piracy Committee revealed that it had uncovered widespread copyright breaches by several TV stations. These stations were found to be illegally downloading and broadcasting movies, TV shows, sports events, and other creative content from streaming platforms without securing the necessary licenses.

“This practice constitutes copyright infringement and is a criminal offence under the Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690), as amended,” the statement said.

The Committee stated that such actions not only breach Ghana’s laws but also violate international copyright standards. More importantly, they harm the country’s creative sector by depriving artists, filmmakers, and content owners of fair compensation for their work.

To address the issue, the Copyright Office has directed all broadcasters to immediately halt the airing of unlicensed content. They are also expected to obtain the required licenses from authorized agencies or rights holders and keep detailed records of all content acquisition agreements for verification purposes.

In addition, the Office announced plans to intensify enforcement. It said that surveillance operations will be expanded in partnership with law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with the law.

“We urge all broadcasters to respect intellectual property rights and contribute to the growth of Ghana’s creative economy by complying with the law,” the statement concluded.

This move follows growing concerns raised by stakeholders in Ghana’s entertainment industry about widespread copyright violations by television stations. Many in the sector have argued that such illegal practices threaten the sustainability of the creative economy, making it harder for content producers to benefit from their own work.

The Copyright Office’s announcement marks a renewed commitment to protecting intellectual property and ensuring that broadcasters support, rather than exploit, Ghana’s creative talent.