– Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690).
– Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2009 (Act 788).
– Copyright Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1962).

Membership in International Conventions

– Universal Copyright Convention.
– Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
– WTO's TRIPS Agreement, since January 1, 1995.
– WIPO Copyright Treaty, since November 18, 2006.
– WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, since February 16, 2013.
– Phonograms Convention, since February 10, 2017.
– Marrakesh Treaty, since August 11, 2018.

Protection

Registration is not required for owners of an original work. Copyright protection is automatic and free from the moment a work is created. However, registration is possible and provides important benefits such as proof of ownership. 

Work eligible for protection: literary work, artistic work, musical work, sound recording, audio-visual work, choreographic work, derivative work and computer software or programmes.

Criteria for protection: the work must be original in character, the work should be fixed in a definite medium of expression now known or later to be developed with the result that the work can either directly or with the aid of any machine or device be perceived, reproduced or otherwise communicated.

Not protected: ideas, concepts, procedures, methods or other things of similar nature.

Duration: during the lifetime of the author, plus 70 years after his death. In the case of joint authors, during the lifetime of the last surviving author plus 70 years after the death of that author. Copyright in a work owned by a public corporation or other body corporate is protected for 70 years from the date on which the work was either made or first published whichever date is later. For anonymous work, protection is for a period of 70 years from the date on which the work was either made, first made available to the public, or first published, whichever date is the later. Audio-visual works are protected for 70 years from the date of the making of the work, or where the work is made available to the public during that period with the consent of the author, until the expiration of 70 years from the date on which the work was either made, first made available to the public, or first published, whichever date is the later. For sound recordings, protection is for 70 years from the publication of the sound recording or, if the sound recording has not been published from the fixation of the sound recording, until the expiration of 70 years after the year of fixation. The moral rights of authors as well as the rights vested in the President on behalf of and in trust for the people of Ghana in respect of folklore exist in perpetuity.

Registry

Authority name: Ghana Copyright Office.  Internet address: www.copyright.gov.gh  

Collective Management Organizations: Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO), Audiovisual Rights Society of Ghana (ARSOG), CopyGhana (Reprographic Rights Organization).