The Copyright Office of Ghana has issued a strong warning to television stations across the country to desist from broadcasting copyrighted content without proper authorisation, cautioning that offenders will face legal consequences, including possible imprisonment.

In a statement released on Wednesday, 11 June, the Office’s National Anti-Piracy Committee revealed that it had identified several television stations illegally downloading and airing movies, television series, sports broadcasts, and other creative works from streaming platforms without the requisite licences.

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

It further warned: “Any individual or entity found in violation is liable to face severe legal consequences, including fines, imprisonment, or both.”

The Committee expressed concern that the widespread abuse of intellectual property rights is undermining Ghana’s creative economy, robbing artists and rights holders of their due income, and breaching both national and international copyright laws.

As a corrective measure, all broadcasters have been directed to:

• Immediately cease airing any content for which they do not hold rights;
• Acquire proper licences from rights holders or authorised agencies;
• Maintain detailed records of all content agreements for verification.

The Copyright Office also announced plans to step up surveillance and enforcement activities nationwide, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, to clamp down on copyright infringements.

“We call on all broadcasters to uphold the principles of intellectual property rights and support the growth of Ghana’s creative economy by respecting the law,” the statement concluded.