Registrar-General urges research institutions, businesses to protect Intellectual Property
The Registrar-General, Grace Ama Issahaque, has called on research institutions, universities and the business community to take advantage of the National Intellectual Property Policy to protect their respective designs, innovations and products.
Such a measure, she explained, will ensure that they derive maximum benefits including royalties from their creativity and ultimately accelerate the nation’s economic development.
Mrs Issahaque stated this in an interview on the sidelines of a forum to mark World Intellectual Property Day in Accra on Friday, April 26, 2024.
It was on the theme: “Intellectual Property and the Sustainable Development Goals: Building our common future with innovation and creativity”.
It was organised by the Copyright Office of the Registrar General’s Department, Ghana in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
It was aimed at creating awareness of the crucial role of Intellectual Property (IP) in promoting innovation, creativity and socio-economic development globally.
Research institutions
The Registrar-General revealed that the department had received about 20 applications from some research institutions in the country seeking to protect their respective plant varieties that would ultimately enhance food security.
The measure, Mrs Issahaque observed would also ensure that the institutions receive some royalties from their creativity.
“We have seen that with the increased awareness being created, a lot of Ghanaians are now protecting their industrial designs” she stated.
She further announced that the Ghana Industrial Property Office (GHIPO) is building capacities in the IP ecosystem in order to bring IP closer to businesses, research institutions, women, youth, and the Ghanaian community in general.
“GHIPO continues to implement new areas of laws such as Geographical Indications to help producers market their traditional products, handicrafts and textiles such as Kente, Bolga basket and Northern smocks among others” Mrs Issahaque added.
Other speakers, messages
The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Charles Abani, in a speech read on his behalf by the Representative of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Ifeoma Charles-Monwuba, stated that the “IP is not just a legal concept but a cornerstone of our global economy.”
He explained that IP is central to addressing global challenges, improving livelihoods and safeguarding the planet stressing that “IP rights allows the creators to economically benefit from their creative work.”
The Deputy Attorney-General, Alfred Yeboah Tuah, in a keynote address read on his behalf by a Chief State Attorney, Patience Adumua-Lartey, observed that IP guarantees the integrity of innovation adding that more people globally are applying various IP tools to protect their respective intellectual property and sustain incomes.
There were solidarity messages from the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Chamber of Agribusiness, Ghana, and ADULLAM Chambers, a private legal firm.