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Traditional Knowledge Laws: Ghana

Title Copyright Act 2005
Subject Matter Traditional Cultural Expressions
Issue(s) Subject Matter of Protection; Beneficiaries or Rightholders; Scope of Protection
Type(s) of Legislation IP Law

Subject Matter of Protection

Section 76 - Interpretation

"folklore" means the literary, artistic and scientific expressions belonging to the cultural heritage of Ghana which are created,preserved and developed by ethnic communities of Ghana or by an unidentified Ghanaian author, and includes kente and adinkra designs, where the author of the designs are not known, and any similar work designated under this Act to be works of folklore.

Beneficiaries or Rightholders

Section 4 - Folklore protected

(2) The rights of folklore are vested in the President on behalf of and in trust for the people of the Republic.

Scope of Protection

Section 4 - Folklore protected

(1) An expressionof folklore is protected under this Act against
      (a) reproduction,
      (b) communication to the public by performance, broadcasting, distribution by cable or other means, and
      (c) adaptation, translation andother transformation.

Section 64 - Use of folklore

(1) A person who intends to use folklore for any purpose other than as permitted under section 19 of this Act, shall apply to theBoard for permission in the prescribed form and the person shall pay a fee that the Board may determine.