BOOK AND NEWSPAPER REGISTRATION ACT - 1961 (ACT 73)

    • (1) For the purposes of this Part "book" includes every volume, part or division of volume, pamphlet, sheet of letterpress, newspaper, sheet of music, map, chart, or plan separately produced, but does not include price lists, trade circulars, trade advertisements, or other legal or business documents.

      (2) A printed copy of every book which is published in Ghana together with all maps, prints or other engravings belonging thereto, and also of any second or subsequent edition which is published shall or shall continue to be, within one month after the day on which such book is first taken out of the press and notwithstanding any agreement between the printer and publisher about the publication of such book, delivered free of charge by the printer to each person or institution specified in the First Schedule to this Act, and the said book shall be delivered with a memorandum containing the particulars mentioned in section 2(2) of this Act.[As substituted by The Book and Newspaper Registration (Amendment) Act, 1963 (Act 193) s. (a)].

      (3) The President, on the advice of the Cabinet, may, by legislative instrument, amend the said First Schedule to this Act as respects any class or description of book specified in the instrument. [As substituted by The Book and Newspaper Registration (Amendment) Act, 1963 (Act 193) s. (a)].

      (4) The publisher or other person employing the printer shall supply him-

      (a) within a reasonable time before the expiration of the time specified in subsection (2), with all maps, prints, and engravings finished and coloured which may be necessary to enable him to comply with the requirements of this section,

      (b) with any information required for the preparation of the memorandum referred to in section 2 (2) of this Act.

      (5) A written receipt shall be given by the officer or person, to whom any copies of books are delivered under this Act.

    • (1) There shall continue to be "A Catalogue of Books and Newspapers printed in Ghana", for the registration of books.

      (2) Any person registering a book under this section shall submit to the officer in charge of the catalogue referred to in subsection (1) a memorandum on the book containing (so far as may be practicable) the following particulars:

      (a) the title of the book and the contents of the title page with a translation into English of the title and contents when they are not in the English language;

      (b) the language in which the book is written;

      (c) the name of the author, translator, or editor of the book;

      (d) the subject;

      (e) the place of printing and the place of publication;

      (f) the name or firm of the printer, and the name or firm of the publisher;

      (g) the date of issue from the press or of the publication;

      (h) the number of sheets, leaves, or pages;

      (i) the size;

      (j) the number of the edition;

      (k) the number of copies of which the edition consists;

      (l) the price at which the book is sold to the public; and

      (m) the name and residence of the proprietor of the copyright or of any portion of such copyright.

    • The memorandum registered during each quarter in the catalogue shall be published in the Gazette, as soon as may be after the end of such quarter.

    • Every printer who contravenes any provision of section 1 (2) of this Act shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds.

    • Every publisher or other person employing any printer who neglects to supply him with any matter or information required under section 1 of this Act which may be necessary to enable the printer to comply with the provisions of this Act, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds.

    • Regulations may provide for the exclusion of any class of books from the operation of the whole or any section of this Part.

    • This Part shall not apply to books printed by the Government Printer for or on behalf of the Government, except as directed by the Minister.

    • There shall continue to be a register of the proprietors of newspapers.

    • (1) It shall be the duty of the printers and publishers of every newspaper to make or cause to be made to the registry office within one month after its first publication, and thereafter annually in the month of January in every year, a return of the following particulars in the form set out in Form A in the Second Schedule to this Act, namely-

      (a) the title of the newspaper;

      (b) the name and place of residence of the editor;

      (c) the name, place of business, and place of residence of the publisher;

      (d) the name, occupation, place of business and place of residence of any proprietor;

      (e) the name, place of business, and place of residence of the printer; and

      (f) the total circulation for the year prior to the making of the return, and the average daily, weekly, or other circulation, as the case may be, for that year.

      (2) No return of circulation shall be required during the first year of publication. [As amended by The Book and Newspaper Registration (Amendment) Act, 1963 (Act 193), s(b)]

    • If no return is made as to any newspaper within the period referred to in section 9 of this Act, then each printer and publisher of the newspaper shall be liable to a fine of twenty-five pounds and in addition shall be ordered to make a return within a specified time.

    • Any person who was a party to a transfer of or dealing with any share or interest in any newspaper whereby any person ceases to be a proprietor, or any new proprietor is appointed, may at any time make or cause to be made to the registry office a return according to Form B in the Second Schedule to this Act and containing the particulars therein set forth. [As amended by The Book and Newspaper Registration (Amendment) Act, 1963 (Act 193), s(b)]

    • When any person is appointed as a new editor, publisher or printer, as the case may be, of a newspaper, he shall within seven days of his appointment make or cause to be made to the registry office a return according to Form C in the Second Schedule to this Act and containing the particulars therein set forth and any failure so to do shall render the offender liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds. [As amended by The Book and Newspaper Registration (Amendment) Act, 1963 (Act 193), s(b)].

    • If any person knowingly and wilfully makes or causes to be made any return required or permitted to be made by this Act in which he inserts the name of any person as a proprietor of a newspaper who is not a proprietor thereof, or in which there is any misrepresentation, or from which there is an omission in respect of any of the particulars required to be contained therein whereby such return is misleading; or if any editor, publisher, proprietor or printer of a newspaper knowingly and wilfully permits any such return to be made which is misleading as to any of the particulars with reference to his own name, occupation, or place of business or residence; then and in every such case every such offender shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

    • It shall be the duty of the Registrar forthwith to register every return made in conformity with this Part in a book to be called "The Register of Newspaper Proprietors". Any person may search and inspect the book during the hours of business at the registry office; and any person may, on payment of a fee of one shilling, require a copy of any entry in or an extract from the book to be certified by the Registrar.

    • It shall be the duty of the Registrar forthwith to register every return made in conformity with this Part in a book to be called "The Register of Newspaper Proprietors". Any person may search and inspect the book during the hours of business at the registry office; and any person may, on payment of a fee of one shilling, require a copy of any entry in or an extract from the book to be certified by the Registrar.

    • (1) The printer of every newspaper shall print on the first or last page of it his name and occupation and place of residence, and the name of the editor and the name of the publisher.

      (2) Any person who prints any newspaper without complying with the requirements of subsection (1) or sells, publishes, disperses or assists in publishing or dispersing any newspaper on which the name and occupation and place of residence of the printer and the names of the editor and the publisher are not printed shall for every copy so printed, sold, published, or dispersed be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds.

    • The Minister by legislative instrument may make regulations for giving effect to the provisions of this Act.

    • In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-

      "book" has the meaning given to it by section 1 (1) of this Act;

      "Minister" means the Minister responsible for Information;

      "newspaper" means any paper containing public news or occurrences, or any remarks or observations thereon printed for sale and published periodically or in parts or numbers at intervals not exceeding two months between the publication of any two such papers, parts or numbers;

      "occupation" when applied to any person means his trade or following, and, if none, then his rank or usual title;

      "place of residence" includes the street or quarter or place where the person to whom it refers resides;

      "printed" as applied to books, means produced by printing, lithography, or any other like process;

      "printer" has a corresponding meaning;

      "Registrar" means the Registrar-General;

      "registry office" means the principal office for the time being of the Registrar.

    • (1) The Book and Newspaper Registration Ordinance (Cap. 124) and the Newspaper Registration Ordinance (Cap. 125) are repealed.

      (2) Every statutory instrument made under any of the enactments repealed by this Act and in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue in force as if made under the corresponding provision of this Act.