Journalists attends school on Intellectual Property Rights

Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - Unilever Ghana on Monday called on the general public to be aware of counterfeits and look -alike products bearing resemblance of Unilever products.

Ms Afua Oduro Asante, Legal Advisor of Unilever-Ghana, who made this known in Accra said many counterfeit products in the market today may appear to be Unilever products, which deceived consumers and posed great danger to their health. Ms Asante, gave the advised at a two-day workshop organised by the Ghana Journalists Association on "Reporting on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), sponsored by Unilever-Ghana and the Public Relations Department of the US Embassy.

It was meant to equip the journalists in reporting on IPR issues that spans creations of the mind, inventions, literary and artistic works and symbols, names, images and designs used in commerce. Ms Asante presented a paper on: " Intellectual Property Rights, Laws of Ghana," and "Types of Infringements of Intellectual Property Right. She said: "Anyone who uses the IPR without the owner's permission infringes on the said right and thus the IPR owner can take civil or criminal action against the person." She explained that counterfeiting or pirated goods is a profitable business that attracts about 500 billion euros per annum to the culprits.

She quoted Ghana Food and Drugs Board reports, which stipulates that food supplements, sex stimulants, blood tonics and anti-malaria medicines are being counterfeited in the country. Ms Asante said more than 2,500 Nigeria children died as a result of fake meningitis vaccines on the market. She said there was the need for government to tackle the issue head on, to save the local industry and potential investors seeking to do legitimate business in Ghana . Ms Pauline Tiffin, an IPR Consultant said it was important for Ghanaian inventors to patent products like kente, folklore music and books, which have unique historical and traditional values. 10 Aug. 09