'Creatives deserve to earn from their work' – Abla Dzifa Gomashie calls for better royalties

• Ghana’s Tourism Minister, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, is calling for stronger copyright protection and improved royalty systems to ensure creatives are paid whenever their work is used. She said the ministry is working with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to strengthen local copyright institutions.

• The minister cited comedian Akrobeto’s laughter, which she said is widely used without payment, as an example of how creatives miss out on earnings despite the popularity of their work.

• She argued that effective copyright enforcement would help artists earn a sustainable income from their intellectual property, including after retirement, and reduce the financial difficulties faced by veteran entertainers.

Hon Dzifa Gomashie said the country must strengthen its copyright institutions and improve their capacity to protect intellectual property, arguing that artists and entertainers should not be left struggling financially after years of contributing to Ghana’s cultural and creative industries.

In an unreleased interview with Pulse Ghana, she explained that her ministry was working with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to build the capacity of local copyright institutions and help them serve creatives more effectively.

According to her, many people in the creative sector earn little or nothing from their work, even when it continues to be used and enjoyed by the public long after its original release.

“Creatives need their works protected,” she said, stressing the importance of establishing systems that allow artists to benefit financially from their intellectual property.

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To illustrate the problem, the minister cited Actor/ comedian Akrobeto, whose distinctive laughter, she said, is widely used without the comedian receiving payment.

She questioned why the public should continue benefiting from a creative person's work without ensuring that the individual receives royalties or other financial rewards.

She said;

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The minister argued that the situation becomes particularly concerning as creatives grow older and may no longer be actively working or earning from new projects.

She said it was unfair for society to be surprised when veteran entertainers face financial difficulties, including the cost of healthcare and basic living expenses, when their work continues to circulate without generating income for them.

“Why are you surprised?” she asked, highlighting the need for a system that enables creatives to earn from the continued use of their work.

She compared the situation to publishing, where an author may continue to earn money when a book is reprinted or released in new editions. In her view, similar structures should ensure that creative works generate income for their owners beyond their initial release.

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The minister said collaboration with WIPO forms part of broader efforts to improve the protection of Ghanaian creative works and build the institutional capacity needed to support the sector.

She indicated that the initiative would focus not only on creatives but also on the local copyright institutions responsible for administering and protecting their rights.

The minister said these institutions must be adequately equipped to help creators benefit from their work and ensure that copyright laws are supported by effective implementation.

She also recalled discussions held during a WIPO event in Accra, noting that the organisation had chosen the Ghanaian capital to host its first African conference.

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The engagement, she said, provided an opportunity to draw attention to the challenges facing Ghanaian creatives and the need for more effective intellectual property protection.

Beyond improving royalty payments, the minister said her broader objective was to establish the structures necessary for Ghana’s tourism, culture and creative arts sector to become more sustainable.

She explained that creatives should be able to earn a living from their work rather than depend solely on new projects, performances or other sources of income.

Strengthening copyright administration, improving institutional capacity and ensuring that creators are compensated when their work is used were among the measures she highlighted as necessary to achieve that goal.

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The minister’s comments underscore a longstanding concern within the creative sector: the gap between the widespread use of Ghanaian creative works and the financial benefits received by the people who produce them.

She maintained that improving copyright protection would help create a system in which artists, entertainers and other creators could continue to benefit from their contributions, including as they grow older or retire from active work.