Stakeholders in the Copyright sector have congratulated the Parliamentary Select Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, chaired by Hon. Francis Agbotse for their commitment to ensuring that the Legislative Instruments to regulate activities in the Copyright sector and other legislations are passed by Parliament.

The stakeholders were very much impressed by the way the chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Subsidiary Legislation conducted a recent meeting in Koforidua.

In a statement issued in Accra, the stakeholders said it has come to the attention of members of the Copyright Society comprising the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Ghana Association of Phonographic Industry (GAPI), Ghana Film Producers Association (GFPA), Ghana Association of Writers (GAW), Ghana Book Publishers Association (GBPA), the Ghana Actors Guild (GAG) and the Ghana Association of Visual Artists and Software Developers that a small section of the musicians who were at the Koforidua meeting are in the process of agitating for the non-passage of the Legislative Instrument.

It noted that due to the activities of the same group of music right holders, it took about eight years (i.e. 1996-2004) for the substantive Copyright Act 2005 (Act 690) to be passed. Similarly, after the passage of Act 690 the same persons petitioned the President not to assent to the Law. The President, in his own wisdom, however signed the Law in May 2005.

According to the statement the copyright sector is made up various groups of right holders but surprisingly it is only about 2 percent of the music right holders that have been holding the entire Copyright sector to ransom in respect of Copyright Legislations. “We consider the activities of this minority group of music rights holders as a travesty of justice; that about 20 to 30 people can cripple the rights and interest of over 10,000 stakeholders. Most of the members of this minority group are not even recognized musicians.

“We are aware that the term of the present Parliament is ending in December 2008 and all unfinished businesses will elapse. If the L.I. is not approved before Parliament is dissolved, the consequences will be too unbearable for the Copyright stakeholders.

“It is the hope of we, the undersigned that the L.I. will be passed to give teeth to Act 690 which Government and stakeholders teamed up to provide. “We therefore urge Parliament to approve the Copyright Legislative Instruments. It is in our best interest to do so now,” the statement indicated.