Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie has urged stronger copyright enforcement and improved royalty systems to protect creatives. Partnering with WIPO, the ministry aims to ensure artists earn sustainable incomes even into retirement.
Madam Gomashie said the country must strengthen its copyright institutions and improve their capacity to protect intellectual property, arguing that artists and entertainers should not be left struggling financially after years of contributing to Ghana’s cultural and creative industries.
In an unreleased interview with Pulse Ghana, she explained that her ministry was working with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to build the capacity of local copyright institutions and help them serve creatives more effectively.
According to her, many people in the creative sector earn little or nothing from their work, even when it continues to be used and enjoyed by the public long after its original release.
“Creatives need their works protected,” she said, stressing the importance of establishing systems that allow artists to benefit financially from their intellectual property.
To illustrate the problem, the minister cited Actor/ comedian Akrobeto, whose distinctive laughter, she said, is widely used without the comedian receiving payment.
She questioned why the public should continue benefiting from a creative person’s work without ensuring that the individual receives royalties or other financial rewards.
She said; “Akrobeto, for example, should be earning a lot of money for his laughter that we all use. We use it, but we don’t pay him anything.”
The minister argued that the situation becomes particularly concerning as creatives grow older and may no longer be actively working or earning from new projects.
She said it was unfair for society to be surprised when veteran entertainers face financial difficulties, including the cost of healthcare and basic living expenses, when their work continues to circulate without generating income for them.
“Why are you surprised?” she asked, highlighting the need for a system that enables creatives to earn from the continued use of their work.
