The Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, has set up a Creative Arts Mediation Committee to deal with all matters relating to intellectual property rights and disputes involving creative artists.

The Creative Arts Mediation Committee was formed in consultation with the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice.

Membership of the committee is made up of representatives of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), Audio-Visual Rights Society of Ghana (ARSOG), Musicians Union of Ghana, Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) and Ghana Actors Guild.

The committee is chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice Samuel Brobbey; board chairman of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and chairman of the Brobbey Commission that collated views from the public leading to the creation of six more regions in the country.

The setting up of the Creative Arts Mediation Committee fulfils an election pledge by the New Patriotic Party in its 2016 Manifesto, to “collaborate with the Chief Justice to create a Division of the High Court focusing on the Creative Arts to deal with all matters relating to intellectual property rights, complete with a dedicated Enforcement Unit.”

Tourism Minister, Catherine Abelema Afeku added, “the creation of the committee is the first step towards the establishment of the fully-fledged special court.”

In addition to copyright issues, the committee will deal with all other legal matters affecting the creative arts sector.

The first task of the committee is to resolve long existing disputes between ARSOG and the Copyright Office.  

Lawyer and Director of the Ghana Folklore Board, Nana Adjoa Adobea Asante, who is secretary to the committee revealed, members of the committee will sit on Wednesdays.