Ama K. Abebrese, one of the filmmakers whose film was shown on TV without permission
The Ghana Copyright Office has issued a stern warning to television stations nationwide not to air copyrighted content without proper permission, stating that violators could face heavy fines or even jail time.
In a statement, the office’s National Anti-Piracy Committee revealed that many TV stations have been caught illegally downloading and airing movies, shows, sports broadcasts, and other creative content from streaming platforms without 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 stressed that such actions violate both Ghanaian and international copyright laws, harm the creative industry, and rob content creators and rights holders of fair earnings.
To curb the problem, all broadcasters have been told to immediately stop airing unauthorised content. They must also secure the proper licenses from the rightful owners and keep records of all content agreements for future checks.
The Copyright Office says it will increase monitoring and work with law enforcement to crack down on piracy.
“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 warning follows growing complaints from filmmakers, musicians, and other industry players about rising copyright abuse by TV stations in the country.