Afro-IP: Ghana

Showing posts with label Ghana. Show all posts

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

Ghana taking strides

By Afro-Hip Tuesday, October 17, 2017 No comments:

Source: Wikipedia

News coming in from Ghana in the past few weeks is that of a country gearing up for modern day innovation and growth with a recognition for robust IP systems.

Airport Expansion

SITA is providing its world-class passenger and baggage processing technology as well as its airport management solutions to Ghana’s new Terminal 3 at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, helping cement the airport’s position as a vital regional hub.

The country’s aviation industry has witnessed significant growth over the past decade due to the discovery of petroleum and gas reserves, sustained domestic demand and the growth of the tourism sector.

When Terminal 3 opens at the end of 2017, it will have six contact stands and two remote stands for long-range aircraft, including Airbus A380s, A330s and Boeing 777s and 787s.

Hotel growth

Marriott International announced a few days ago (Marriott International continues extensive expansion into Africa) that its 160 room Le Meridien Accra, owned by 4-Mac Limited will be strategically located close to the international airport and is scheduled to open in 2021. The hotel marks the debut of Le Meridien brand into Ghana.

Online commerce and digital expansion

A new UN report reveals momentum for digital payments in Ghana could save over GHS 1 billion within next four years. With 37 percent of the value of all payments now made digitally, Ghana is on course to be a leader in the region, with great potential to expand economic opportunities for businesses. Read the full Ghana Diagnostic report here.

It is perhaps no co-incidence then that separate independent releases Ecobank and DHL relate to digital commerce services.

Ecobank just launched their mVisa cashless payment system across 33 African countries using smartphone technology. Ecobank have a presence in Ghana.

DHL Express then announced its partnership with MallforAfrica which will facilitate selling of made-in-Africa products to customers in the United States. Businesses can do so via the eBay platform powered by MallforAfrica. Through this partnership, DHL locations will serve as drop-off points for products destined for consumers in the United States. This will be the first time businesses in Africa can sell their locally manufactured products directly on eBay.

DHL Express currently handles inbound express delivery for MallforAfrica and has enabled its customers importing from the US to receive their packages seamlessly in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana.

But what about intellectual property and innovation …?

At the 2017 Innovation Prize for Africa event, held in Ghana’s capital Accra, a high-level roundtable discussed how best to support the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs on the African continent.

The panel included speakers like Ghana’s Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, African Innovation Foundation (AIF) founder Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais and Yofi Grant, the CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).

They highlighted four barriers according to the report:

1. Disconnect from the youth

2. Inharmonious business environment

3. Difficulties securing financing

4. A need for strong intellectual property protection

“…while Bethel [a member of both the AIF Board and UN committee of Experts in Public Administration] agreed the time-to-market approach [the focus on taking a product to market as a prerequisite over anything else including IP protection] may work in some countries, she expressed concern regarding the speed with which many foreign companies can replicate an idea, protect their IP rights and then market it globally.

“So I believe the two really must go hand in hand, I don’t see that the one necessarily dominates the other. And my advice would be to protect your intellectual property.”

See full report here.

Anas exposes Ghana corruption scandal in judiciary

By Afro Leo Monday, September 14, 2015 No comments:

Anas, the acclaimed Ghanaian investigative journalist has exposed a corruption scandal that threatens to undermine one of Africa's cinderellas. Ghana, ranked in the top 5 least corrupt countries in Africa by the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2012, is now the subject of headline news of the BBC which reported a few days ago that:

"A group of Ghanaian judges allegedly caught on camera asking for bribes has filed a legal challenge to their suspension.

Of the 22 suspended lower court judges, 14 have filed a writ to the high court, saying the judicial council's investigations have no basis in law.

Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas conducted a two-year undercover investigation into the judges.

It is the biggest scandal in the history of Ghana's judiciary." Full article here.

AllAfrica took up the story and leads with the following:

"It may go down in history as the single most massive bribery scandal to hit Ghana's Judiciary, as 180 officials of the Judicial Service have been caught on camera taking bribes and extorting money from litigants."

More about that here (link no longer available).

Afro Leo commends Anas for his work which, unfortunately, will not provide much comfort for investors in Africa, especially those that put their IP at risk through distribution, licensing, JV and other collaborations. A typical example of a distributor gone rogue in South Africa was discussed today in #SandtonDiscussion.

The dynamics of innovation, traditional medicine and the experience of Ghana: an article

By Jeremy Wednesday, February 18, 2015 No comments:

"The Dynamics of Innovation in Traditional Medicine in Ghana", by George O. Essegbey and Stephen Awuni (both of the Science and Technology Research Institute, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana) has just been published in issue 1/2015 of the WIPO Magazine. You can read it in full here. Of particular interest to this blogger was the following paragraph:

"Many practitioners, especially those operating in the informal economy, are not aware of the potential advantages of acquiring IP rights, such as trademarks, designs or patents. And for those aware of the IP system, the stringent requirements associated with obtaining IP protection are often beyond their reach. Much still remains to be done to raise awareness and understanding among practitioners about how to use IP rights to support their longer-term business interests. How to encourage innovation and strengthen entrepreneurship among traditional medicine practitioners in the informal economy is a crucial policy challenge in Ghana".

Can the gap between traditional medicine and innovation as understood by the IP community ever be properly and efficiently bridged? That is the question ...

Ghana: IP policy will harmonise IP laws and address infringement

By IPcommentator Thursday, July 31, 2014 1 comment:

Mr. Doni-Kwame. Source: here

Last June, fellow Leo, Caroline Ncube, reported that Ghana is one of those few African countries with an intellectual property (IP) policy - be it in draft or not. Today, this Leo has picked up the news that Ghana's Ministry of Trade and Industry will hopefully approve the draft IP policy, soon.

GhanaWeb reports Mr. Emmanuel Doni-Kwame saying: "...the draft Intellectual Property policy is ready and the Ministry of Trade and Industry will soon launch it so it becomes official. This will harmonise all I.P laws in the country..."

This assurance apparently came to light on the day the Ghana Employers' Association (GEA) complained that piracy and counterfeiting are stifling the country's local manufacturing sector and quest to develop a knowledge-based economy. The textile and pharmaceutical sectors are of most concern to the GEA. This Leo also understands that the IP policy, if implemented, will support IP rights owners with enforcement.

Commentary

Great news! If Ghana can deliver on its IP reforms, then other West African countries might consider following suit. We hope that the policy - which this Leo couldn't find online - will also address the development or needs of Ghana's IP registry. Afro Leo finds it strange that there is a nice website (and perhaps, office) for copyright, but there isn't online evidence to demonstrate the same love for copyright's siblings. Whether this is due to the existence of ARIPO's capacity is anyone's guess.

A review of African official IP websites: no. 22: Ghana

By Anonymous Monday, December 10, 2012 No comments:

There has been some slight improvement since this Leo visited Ghana in 2011: the copyright office appears to have incorporated all the essential social media channels; however, Ghana is yet to have a website for the patent, trademark and designs office.

IP technical assistance from Switzerland

As reported last year, Switzerland seems to be playing its part in bilateral IP technical assistance in Africa as it supported Ghana’s IP policy framework and recently committed US$3.5 million to a project to support young Ghanaian entrepreneurs in the fashion and fabric industry.

But surely, Ghana is not that poor that it cannot afford to provide its IP office with a basic website.

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President John Mahama tasks creative industry with innovative ways of protecting IP, see here

Abuse of IP affecting Ghana’s research & development drive, see here

Ghana to establish trust fund to support creative industry, see here

Ghana opts for the WPPT

By Jeremy Friday, November 23, 2012 No comments:

By WPPT Notification No. 83: WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) informs the world that the Government of the Republic of Ghana deposited last week its instrument of ratification of the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty. That Treaty will enter into force, with respect to Ghana, on 16 February 2013.

Ghana is the 91st country to opt for the WPPT. You can check the full list of committed countries here.

Thursday bits and bobs

By Darren Olivier Thursday, August 09, 2012 No comments:

This day is Women's Day in South Africa. It is a day to commemorate the march of women in 1956 to petition against oppressive legislation but is also now much more than that. The entire country takes a break to recognise the achievements of women in society. It also means that you will get an "out of office" from most local IP practitioners, so be prepared.

Over on the Afro-IP Linkedin Group Sunny Lin posted a question on how to start and administrative action in Sudan. It seems that a well known Chinese brand is being counterfeited in that country. This will be of special interest to those who are following the development of Chinese "formal" IP and also evidence of a reversal from China as the stereotypical "copiers" to China as "creators and protectors of IP", and Africa from the "the dumping ground for Chinese counterfeit goods" to counterfeiters themselves. Of course, we have known this for a while.

Turning stateside, WSJ MarketWatch carries a press release from Silicon Valley based Sable Network advertising a unique service which seeks to garner RSA ex-pat skills to mentor and assist entrepreneurs, product innovators and universities with new venture growth, technology transfer and foreign market access. Afro-IP notices that there is much talk about intellectual property in the release but no noticeable expert to provide the skills, so we have written in to see how we can help.

Stickers for the clever

Afro Leo wonders whether anyone leaving the country to become the pool of talent that Sable Network wishes to use, will require exchange control approval before they can board the plane - after all they have know-how, know-how is IP and IP is capital according to the changes in the excon regs.

Check in Desk: Anything sharp with your luggage?

Passenger: No, just me.

Check in Desk: Over there please, special scales for valuation and then excess intellect payment there. Next.

A US based company called Knowledge Tree hit the venture capital headlines recently by raising $4.75 million in funding for its cloud based document management business. It gets a mention on this blog because of the company's African origin and also because it seems whilst ideas and innovation are in no short supply here, in order to get real lift off businesses may need to move to countries like the US. Comments welcome.

That said, a recent INSEAD Innovation report states that "The dynamics of global innovation are changing as a result of the activities of emerging economies". According to The Global Innovation Index 2012 strong performances in innovation were highlighted by several emerging economies, including Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. In Africa, Mauritius scores top marks but one questions whether this is simply because of their favourable tax regime for registering/holding IP than strictly as a result of innovation. More info here.

Ghana to Prosecute Illicit Uses of Folklore

By Afro Ng'ombe Wednesday, September 08, 2010 1 comment:

While South Africa debates the introduction of the Traditional Knowledge Bill (Afro-Leo coverage here), Ghana is working to enforce the traditional knowledge protection granted by the Ghanaian Copyright Act.

Under the Copyright Act of 2005, a person wishing to use folklore must apply to the government, in the form of the National Folklore Board, for permission and pay a fee. (Section 64.) However, even though the law requires permission and payment, few folklore users in Ghana go through the National Folklore Board.

In order to address the low number of people following instructions, and more importantly, the lack of funds going to the country for the use of its folklore, the director of the National Folklore Board announced plans to start prosecuting those who use folklore without going through the proper procedure. The hope is not to actually prosecute most of these users, but rather to encourage them to “comply with the regulations and register with the NFB to avoid embarrassment.”

Full story, including comments from the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture available at Ghana News Agency.

Victor Tieku to Develop New Collecting Org in Ghana

By Afro Ng'ombe Monday, June 08, 2009 No comments:

Mark Schultz and Alec van Gelder (mentioned here, here and here for their work "Nashville in Africa") have written a piece for Ghana News highlighting Ghanaian musician/producer Victor Tieku and the Ghanaian music industry.

Victor Tieku is striving to be Ghana's version of Ralph Peer, the man who founded the music industry in Nashville, Tennessee. In fact, last year peermusic began collaborating with Tieku and his label, Kampsite Records. Part of Tieku's plan involves a new method of royalty collection. Rather than using the Copyright Society of Ghana, which is fraught with many of the same problems as other African collecting societies, artists can use Tieku's business as the intermediary for collecting royalties.

"He [Tieku] plans to set up a music publishing business that will promote and license music for radio and television, in advertisements, films, ringtones, and recordings by other musicians."

Schultz and van Gelder express a belief that this will benefit the Ghanaian industry. Collecting societies in Africa often developed from remnants of institutions left behind by colonial powers or in mimicking developed countries. This cart-before-the-horse scenario resulted in a situation in which countries have collecting societies but without the strong publishing company backbones needed to support the societies. Tieku is taking the opportunity provided by Ghana's new copyright law (Section 49) that allows private "collective administration societies" to create that strong backbone.

Schultz and van Gelder also discussed other areas where Ghana is making progress and where it still needs some work to legally support growing a successful music industry. The goods and bads are pretty much the usuals for Africa: popular music, new copyright law; lack of implementation of new law, poor enforcement, rampant piracy. And that overwhelming common good: a lot of potential for an amazing industry.

Ghana focus on education to combat counterfeit crisis amidst calls for stricter laws

By Darren Olivier Sunday, May 31, 2009 No comments:

Mr. Kofi Essuman, President of Ghana's Institute of Packaging, on Friday called on the government to review or update existing laws on counterfeiting and piracy or enact new ones to curb the menace at a workshop in Accra. “Employment has shrunk from 250,000 in 1985 to below 40,000 today largely due to faking and counterfeiting of African textile manufacturers' designs and trademarks,” he added.

Right: Ghana's Coalition Against Counterfeiting at a conference in 2008

This blog is full of these types of stats and calls for action and most of them propose stricter laws and better enforcement, as this article reports too. What caught Afro Leo's eye is the focus on education and defeating the "menace" using the consumer.

"Earlier, over 30 students from some Senior High Schools were given awards for participating in the 2009 National Anti-Counterfeit Campaign Competition.

Master Nathan Andre Melcom, a student from Tema Senior High School and Master Isaac Koney of Presbyterian Senior High School emerged winners in the Essay and Art Competitions respectively. They each took home a certificate, cash voucher of GH¢150 and a plaque for their school.

Miss Emelia Dede Quist from Ebenezer Senior High and Cobbiah Jepheta from GHANATA were second in the essay and art competitions respectively and had a certificate, a cash voucher of GH¢100 and a plaque each for their schools.

The third position went to Abigail Adu Pokuwaa and Hamid Nortey who each collected a certificate, a cash voucher of GH¢50 and a plaque for their schools. "

Source : Modern Ghana article here and Ghana blog here.

Ghana regulator complains of fake toothpaste smuggling

By Jeremy Monday, December 22, 2008 No comments:

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Office of Ghana's Food and Drugs Board (FDB), is reported to have destroyed more than 600 varieties of cartons of tooth pastes in the first quarter of 2008. The products, all counterfeit and contaminated were all smuggled into the country. This information came from FDB regulatory officer Enoch Cobina, in a sensitization forum for customers of Unilever Ghana Limited last weekend.

Apart from posing serious threats to local industries, the fake imports caused major health risks. Mr Cobina appealed to the general public to check and report any expired products found in the market, especially drugs, to the board for the necessary action to be taken.

Another speaker at the same event, Poland Detew Bour (Operational Manager of Unilever subsidiary Eye Awurade Ampaco Limited), underscored the health needs of individuals, while Unilever territorial manager Michael Ofori-Kumi announced that the company had reducedthe prices of its products to make them affordable for the general public, adding that, the company is now providing weekly credit sales to customers.

Call for tech transfer for a nuclear Ghana

By Jeremy Monday, October 20, 2008 No comments:

Professor Edward Akaho, Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), has urged that the country make plans to enable it to explore nuclear energy for electricity generation by 2018 if it is to avert future supply disruptions. This message was delivered in his inaugural lecture as a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, "Nuclear Power for Generating Electricity in Ghana: Issues and Challenges”.

Prof. Akaho called for the ratification of all relevant international conventions in order to help build the necessary public and international confidence in the country that it would use nuclear for peaceful purposes. Emphasis was placed on the need to train skilled human resources -- concerted efforts had to be made to promote effective technology transfer and partnership through bilateral and multilateral agreements.

Politicians using Africa Money - a Ghana copyright case?

By Darren Olivier Friday, September 12, 2008 3 comments:

Ghana’s controversial hip-life musician, Barima Sidney is readying himself to drag the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to court after the party had asked him to ‘go to hell’ following his call on politicians to stop using his ‘Africa Money’ hit track for electioneering campaigns. The NDC afterwards had continued to use the song saying that though it had no copyright on the track, the artiste had no right to stop the party from using it for electioneering campaigns. The NDC Deputy General Secretary, Baba Jamal, has maintained that the ‘Africa Money’ track has become public property and can therefore be used by any individual. “Once we buy the track without money, we can play it anywhere especially when we are not using it for commercial purposes,” he was quoted to have said an Accra-based radio station. The musician said that he had no problem with politicians playing the song in their private homes but what he was against was it being used a campaign tool on political platforms. The musician said he had not sold, rented, hired-out or leased the song or its copyright to any political party.

Whilst the prospect of a local decision on copyright in Ghana is great news for this blog, one cant help but feel that the politicians will seek to settle - why would they want to run the risk of ostracising supporters of the popular politician during election time?

He is on You Tube here:

West African States meet to strategise on Counterfeits

By Asiimwe Paul Tuesday, July 22, 2008 No comments:

Accra, Ghana is the venue for a current meeting whose purpose is to lay strategies for dealing with counterfeits in West Africa.

Running under the theme "Protecting the consumer against counterfeit products through inter-agency and sub-regional collaboration", Happy FM reports that this two day meeting will focus on stemming the tide of counterfeit medicines, cosmetics and medical devices in Ghana and West Africa as a whole.

In the speech of President Kufour read by the Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs, the President reiterated the concern that "counterfeit goods deny genuine products of their rightful market share, costs government significant amounts in lost tax revenue, threaten jobs and create lack of consumer confidence in products", vowing to render Ghana a "no go zone" for counterfeits.Furthermore, it is hoped that these efforts will help the country to comply with international standards set by the World Intellectual Property Organisation(WIPO), the World Health Organisation(WHO) and the International Trademark Association(INTA).

This new initiative must be applauded as another effort in the crack down on dangerous medicines and health related devices that pose grave danger to people(and animals)all over Africa.

90 minutes for the game, a lot longer for the copyright

By Jeremy Wednesday, June 18, 2008 No comments:

Ghanaweb carries a note that the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the recently-ended football African Cup of Nations, Ghana 2008, is reminding everyone that it is still forbidden to use photographs of the tournament and related events for commercial purposes. Says the LOG secretariat, even though the event may have officially ended, the images, pictorials and all other symbols of the tournament belong to the LOC. It remains unlawful for any individual or organization to commercialize them without its permission.

The LOC regrets that, despite earlier attempts to educate the relevant public concerning the prohibition placed on copyright infringement, some individuals and companies have put on sale images which have been taken from the event without official authorization. The statement said such acts contravened the rights of those who duly obtained the right for the usage of the pictures. It further warned individuals and companies to refrain from the acts or "face the music". Presumably the music is copyright-protected too ...

Visitor to Ghana seeks local products

By Jeremy Tuesday, June 10, 2008 1 comment:

Writing in the Canadian Epoch Times, ("Colonialism has left a stigma on Ghana's culture and traditional goods. What a shame"), Zoë Ackah writes a really depressing account of her experiences as a visitor to Ghana. She discovered that "the vast majority of 'African fabric' is now made in China". She continues:

"I decided to buy some of the cheap Togo fabric people sell on their heads. Ghanaians go to neighbouring Togo to buy fabric. Somehow, I though maybe the Togolese still make fabric. Stupid me. I later learned the Togo fabric is actually smuggled into Ghana. Why smuggled? It is a matter of copyright infringement.

You see African fabric print design is highly competitive. As soon as a fabric design from Ghana is selling well, someone will take a piece of it to China, have the print cheaply duplicated, and run yards of the knock-off at half the price. I guess the Hollywood elite aren't the only ones being bled dry by Chinese copyright infringement. They're just able to afford lawyers a team of public relations experts".

Ghana, Iran, to cooperate in R&D, tech transfer

By Jeremy Wednesday, May 28, 2008 No comments:

Modernghana.com reports that Ghana has agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Iran in various areas for their mutual benefit. Following the third session of the permanent joint commission for cooperation held in Tehran, the two countries agreed to collaborate on research and technology transfer in agriculture, and biotech and genetic engineering as well as cultivation improvement methodologies. A communique adds that the two have also agreed to collaborate in the development and exchange of planting materials, provision of engineering and technical services and develop feasibility studies for the production of chemical fertilisers in Ghana and joint venture investment in agriculture.

Ghana Signs Pact with WIPO

By Asiimwe Paul Monday, May 26, 2008 No comments:

According to allAfrica.com the World Intellectual Property Organisation(WIPO) has recently concluded an agreement with the Government of Ghana.

The agreement was signed on behalf of WIPO by the outgoing Director General, Kamil Idris. In his words, the agreement "offered a comprehensive and coherent approach to establishing a robust intellectual property framework that will support the country's development objectives". According to Ghana's Attorney General, it is hoped that the cooperation between the two partners will enhance international trade and the manner in which investors percieve Ghana as an investment destination.

More specifically, the plan will revamp the country's intellectual property system to enable universities, smes and other enterprises to make better use of it. It will also enhance use of the copyright system by creative industries, as well as application of intellectual property rights in an environment of electronic commerce.

WIPO, Ghana sign IP plan

By Jeremy Friday, May 09, 2008 1 comment:

WIPO press release 2008PR/2008/551 states today that the World Intellectual Property Organization has signed an Intellectual Property Development Plan with the Republic of Ghana. According to this release:

"... WIPO reinforced its cooperation with the Republic of Ghana with the signing on May 7, 2008 of an intellectual property (IP) development plan which aims to build the country’s capacity to create, protect and utilize IP as a power tool for economic growth and development. The IP Development Plan also seeks to ensure that the IP offices and potential users of the IP system - such as universities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), chambers of commerce and industry, research and development institutions and copyright organizations - have the technical capacity to use the intellectual property system.

...

WIPO Director General, Dr. Kamil Idris, ... said that the Development Plan offered a comprehensive and coherent approach to establishing a robust IP framework that would support the country’s development objectives.

...

The IP Development Plan covers a range of activities including legislative advice and workshops on strategic use of different aspects of the IP system targeting various stakeholders including small and medium-sized enterprises, research and development institutes, and the judiciary. It also includes support and advice to promote the development of creative industries, electronic commerce, copyright collective management, traditional knowledge, agricultural development and plant varieties. The plan further seeks to enhance the country’s IP infrastructure through modernizing and automating national IP administration to ensure high quality service delivery, extensive training and public awareness programs and the development of a national IP strategy to support economic growth and development".

5five go to prison ...

By Jeremy Sunday, April 06, 2008 No comments:

Ghanaian group 5five ("African Gurlz") has had some problems asserting the copyright in its songs, according to the group’s executive producer and manager, Lawrence Nana Asiamah Hanson (a.k.a. Bulldog). A recent item on Modern Ghana reads:

"An incident in Tamale, according to Bulldog, made them appreciate the hassles in trying to protect one’s own intellectual property.

“We were on tour of the three Northern regions last year with Castro and got wind of 5five material being pirated in Tamale. We tried to pursue it but rather ended up behind bars for some hours. We were not amused at all about the situation but we took it as part of the burden to bear in moving on with our work.”"

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

Monday, 14 September 2015

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Thursday, 31 July 2014

Monday, 10 December 2012

Friday, 23 November 2012

Thursday, 9 August 2012

Wednesday, 8 September 2010

Monday, 8 June 2009

Sunday, 31 May 2009

Monday, 22 December 2008

Monday, 20 October 2008

Friday, 12 September 2008

Tuesday, 22 July 2008

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Tuesday, 10 June 2008

Wednesday, 28 May 2008

Monday, 26 May 2008

Friday, 9 May 2008

Sunday, 6 April 2008

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