A new copyright bill in Ghana will according to musicians and lawyers associations be used to impose fees on Ghanaians who use folklore in their music. This would include those musicians who since generations have preserved the traditional knowledge.
Freemuse and Executive Committee member, Krister Malm, have assisted Ghanaian musicians and lawyers with knowledge and advice on this issue.
Krister Malm, who apart from being a Freemuse founding member also is the President of ICTM, the International Council for Traditional Music, has dealt with copyright legislation and international conventions for more than thirty years says:
– The new Ghanaian legislation is probably according to WIPO guidelines. But the application of the legislation seems twisted. I can not understand how the Ghanaian government can claim that tolls taken from bona fide performers of traditional music are in line with WIPO recommendations, he says.
Kilde: Freemuse Newsletter Nr. 01/05.
