By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, Jan. 31, GNA – The National Folklore Board (NFB) on Thursday signed a contract with AB and David, a law firm, to ensure the execution of its mandate to recover lost benefits due the country from the use of folklore.
Dr Ziblim Barri Iddi, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said the signing was very important to empower the Board to play its mandated roles.
He said the Board was charged to find ways of positioning itself to deliver on its mandate of protect the folklore.
“Over the years we have been short-changed and our intellectual property rights have been violated by not just Ghanaians but people across the globe.
“I am proud to say that it also fulfils our campaign promise that henceforth the board will have watchdogs out there monitoring and watching to ensure that our folklore and exhibition of same is not violated or exploited without recourse to law.”
Mr Iddi said the Ministry was hopeful that even though the Board did not have the powers to arrest, the Government was solidly behind it to report violators of the law to the appropriate authorities to ensure they were sanctioned.
“We trust that the law firm engaged will help the Board to protect what we own and use what is gained to help in the development of our people.”
Nana Adjoa Adobea Asante, the Director of NFB, said the Board, an agency under the Ministry, was responsible for the protection and promotion of all kinds of expressions of folklore, which refers to ways and means of expressing culture.
She said the Board was established by the Copyright Act 2005, Act 690, and to ensure that expressions of folklore, including Kente and Adinkra designs, were all protected.
Nana Asante noted that the mandate of members was to ensure that people sought permission from the Board before using Ghana’s folklore outside the customary context.
Madam Vera Owusu Osei from AB and David Law Firm commended the Board for contracting the firm to assist it recover the lost benefits for the country and said the Firm would do its best to help achieve that goal.
GNA
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