By Kofi Ahovi
Government is reviewing Patent Act (Act 657) to promote, enhance and use it as a tool for economic development, Business Week has gathered.
The patent system provided incentives to individuals by offering them recognition for creativity and material rewards for their marketable inventions.
The review had become necessary to enhance the Agreement on Trade Related Aspect on Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and also focus on the question of access to information and knowledge by ensuring that the country took advantage of the exception clause.
The review would provide a better legislative environment, create an efficient patent protection system and boast research work and inventive activities.
The process is spearheaded by the national Intellectual Property Policy Committee (NIPPC) and Technical Coordination Group which is charged with the mandate to establish national Intellectual Property Policy development.
The committees are to enable formal exchange of information on annual basis, provide strategic guidance to ensure that Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) operate in line with the country's development trend.
They are also to ensure the provision of transfer of technology among key stakeholders on operations of IPR, create avenue for innovation to enhance productivity and facilitate trade and industrial competitiveness.
The committees under the supervision of Ministry of Trade (MOTI) and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Department, were initiated through the Government's Trade Sector Support Programme.
According to the Minister of Trade, Hannah Tetteh, who inaugurated the committees, the move is to ensure that the practice conforms to international best practices.
The Government of Switzerland through the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is funding the project.
The committees are made up of representatives from MOTI, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, National Commission on Culture, Association of Ghana Industries, Institute of Industrial Research, Copyright Office, University of Ghana’s Faculty of Law, and Ministry of Health.
Others are National Board for Small Scale Industries, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Justice, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Food and Drugs Board.
The rest are Ghana Chamber of Commerce, National Planning Development Commission, Ghana Consumer Association, Registrar General's Department and Musicians Union of Ghana.
The project also has a component for increasing public awareness and understanding of intellectual property issues, continuous sensitisation of the Judiciary on intellectual property issues, establishment of efficient automated industrial property management system and institutionalisation of electronic Copyright Register
Government is reviewing Patent Act (Act 657) to promote, enhance and use it as a tool for economic development, Business Week has gathered.
The patent system provided incentives to individuals by offering them recognition for creativity and material rewards for their marketable inventions.
The review had become necessary to enhance the Agreement on Trade Related Aspect on Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and also focus on the question of access to information and knowledge by ensuring that the country took advantage of the exception clause.
The review would provide a better legislative environment, create an efficient patent protection system and boast research work and inventive activities.
The process is spearheaded by the national Intellectual Property Policy Committee (NIPPC) and Technical Coordination Group which is charged with the mandate to establish national Intellectual Property Policy development.
The committees are to enable formal exchange of information on annual basis, provide strategic guidance to ensure that Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) operate in line with the country's development trend.
They are also to ensure the provision of transfer of technology among key stakeholders on operations of IPR, create avenue for innovation to enhance productivity and facilitate trade and industrial competitiveness.
The committees under the supervision of Ministry of Trade (MOTI) and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Department, were initiated through the Government's Trade Sector Support Programme.
According to the Minister of Trade, Hannah Tetteh, who inaugurated the committees, the move is to ensure that the practice conforms to international best practices.
The Government of Switzerland through the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is funding the project.
The committees are made up of representatives from MOTI, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, National Commission on Culture, Association of Ghana Industries, Institute of Industrial Research, Copyright Office, University of Ghana’s Faculty of Law, and Ministry of Health.
Others are National Board for Small Scale Industries, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Justice, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Food and Drugs Board.
The rest are Ghana Chamber of Commerce, National Planning Development Commission, Ghana Consumer Association, Registrar General's Department and Musicians Union of Ghana.
The project also has a component for increasing public awareness and understanding of intellectual property issues, continuous sensitisation of the Judiciary on intellectual property issues, establishment of efficient automated industrial property management system and institutionalisation of electronic Copyright Register
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