Legal Protection Of Computer Programs And Software: Is Ghana's Copyright Act Fit For Purpose?

Legal Protection of Computer Software or Programs - Copyright

Computer programs (not software) have traditionally been protected as copyright work. Given that software differs from more traditional forms of copyright work (like songs and letters) from which it originally evolved, it has become necessary to assess whether copyright law in Ghana provides adequate protection for authors of programs and software.

Copyright in Ghana is governed by the Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690) (the Copyright Act), the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2009 (Act 788) and the Copyright Regulations, 2010 (LI 1962).

The Copyright Act lists the following works as entitled to copyright:

• literary work;