Copyright law cannot remain theoretical

Socrate Safo has faulted regulatory institutions in Ghana’s creative sector for failing to enforce existing laws, warning that admiration for regulation without action is accelerating market decline.

“Ghana’s statutory laws already provide a framework for protection,” Safo stated. “What is missing is enforcement.”

He called on the Copyright Office of Ghana to move beyond advocacy and take up its regulatory mandate, particularly in relation to digital platforms operating within the country.

“Copyright law cannot remain theoretical while markets collapse in practice,” he said, advocating for mandatory licensing regimes and penalties for unregulated mass free distribution.

Safo also addressed the role of collective management organisations, especially GHAMRO, insisting that public performance of music must always attract royalties, regardless of whether an event is ticketed or sponsor-funded.

“Music used in public spaces is not a donation,” he stressed. “It is intellectual property.”

He argued that royalties should be calculated based on verified playlists provided by performers, and that enforcement must apply across concerts, festivals, and corporate-sponsored events.

Safo warned that regulatory inaction has created a system where creative rights exist only on paper, leaving rights holders unprotected and revenue streams unstable.

“Regulation must be enforced, not admired,” he concluded.