Ghana Publishers Association: Urges Stronger Copyright Enforcement

• The Ghana Publishers Association (GPA) identified weak copyright enforcement and the lack of a national book policy as key obstacles to industry growth.
• GPA President Edward Yaw Udzu called for government action, including tax waivers, financial support, and stronger copyright protection.
• Local publishers face challenges such as high material costs, excessive taxes, inadequate financing, and the influx of pirated and foreign books.
• A two-day GPA Golden Jubilee National Symposium at KNUST marked the association's 50th anniversary.
• Professor Felix Narku Engmann raised concerns about proposed education reforms to use local languages as the medium of instruction at higher levels.

He specifically pointed to the absence of a comprehensive national book policy and the consistently weak enforcement of Ghana copyright law enforcement as primary factors hindering progress.

The Ghana Publishers Association (GPA) recently marked its 50th anniversary with a Golden Jubilee National Symposium held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). During the two-day event, themed “Empowering Minds: The Future of Books and Literacy in Ghana,” the association’s President, Edward Yaw Udzu, articulated significant concerns regarding the impediments to the growth of the Ghanaian publishing industry. He specifically pointed to the absence of a comprehensive national book policy and the consistently weak enforcement of Ghana copyright law enforcement as primary factors hindering progress.

Mr. Udzu further identified limited access to contemporary printing technology as another challenge impacting the quality and competitive standing of books produced locally. In response to these pressing issues, he urged the government to implement several measures. These include introducing tax waivers on essential publishing materials, offering financial support and incentives to indigenous publishers, and crucially, strengthening copyright protection. He also called for the establishment of a robust national book policy to revitalize the entire sector. The GPA, he affirmed, is prepared to collaborate with relevant institutions to bolster the local publishing ecosystem and foster a reading culture among the nation's youth.

Beyond the overarching policy and enforcement issues, Mr. Udzu detailed a range of specific economic challenges that local publishers confront, emphasizing the urgent need for governmental intervention. These include the prohibitively high cost of printing materials and imported paper, coupled with excessive taxes and import duties levied on books and publishing inputs. Inadequate financing for indigenous publishers also remains a significant barrier to their development and expansion.

Furthermore, the Ghana publishing industry challenges are exacerbated by the pervasive influx of pirated books and a high volume of foreign publications into the Ghanaian market. Mr. Udzu underscored the GPA’s unwavering commitment to cultivating a dynamic book industry and promoting a sustainable reading culture, which he views as fundamental to national development. He stressed that books serve as an indispensable tool for education, knowledge dissemination, and cultural preservation, necessitating coordinated efforts among publishers, the government, and other stakeholders to ensure books are both accessible and affordable for all Ghanaians.

Adding another layer to the discussions on the future of literacy, Professor Felix Narku Engmann, Head of Department at the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), delivered a keynote address expressing reservations about proposed education reforms. These reforms suggest adopting a local language as the primary medium of instruction in educational institutions. While acknowledging the efficacy of local languages at the basic educational level, Professor Engmann cautioned that extending this practice to senior high and tertiary levels would present considerable difficulties.

Professor Engmann elaborated on his concerns, noting that many English words lack direct equivalents or are challenging to translate accurately into local languages, complicating advanced instruction. He also highlighted Ghana’s diverse linguistic landscape, comprising over 80 local languages, which makes the selection of a single indigenous language for national instruction potentially divisive and problematic. Additionally, the absence of standardized scientific and technical terminologies in Ghanaian languages would impede the teaching of complex subjects such as Medicine, Engineering, Law, and the Sciences, suggesting that such a policy at higher education levels could have far-reaching negative consequences.

Intellectual property lawyers in Ghana should note the Ghana Publishers Association's concerns regarding weak copyright enforcement and the absence of a comprehensive national book policy. This highlights potential challenges in protecting clients' literary works and publishing rights, and signals a need to monitor upcoming legislative or policy reforms in Ghana's IP and publishing sectors.

Source: Original reporting via Carbonatix