Afram Publications Warns Students Against Purchasing Two Fake French Textbooks
Harriet Adelaide Tagoe, Managing Director of Afram Publications (Ghana) Limited, has issued a stern warning to Senior High School students across the country to avoid purchasing pirated copies of French textbooks, specifically “La Famille Ntow” and “L’argent ne Fait pas le Bonheur,” which are being sold in some bookshops and schools.
According to Ms. Tagoe, these counterfeit books, which are being sold at inflated prices, are riddled with errors and poor-quality printing, posing a serious threat to students’ academic success and the integrity of their educational pursuits.
The pirated textbooks, originally published by Afram Publications, not only mislead students in their preparation for final examinations but also undermine the hard-earned reputation of the publishing house. Ms. Tagoe emphasized that such counterfeit publications compromise the quality of education and can negatively impact students’ understanding of French, potentially affecting their overall academic journey.
“These pirated books are overpriced and full of mistakes,” she lamented. “This is somebody’s intellectual property we are holding in trust, and when you buy pirated copies, the author loses revenue. We pay royalties to authors for their contributions, but when counterfeit copies flood the market, they get nothing. We also lose the investments we’ve made in content development.”
The Afram Publications MD explained that producing quality textbooks involves significant financial investment, particularly in the research, development, and design of educational content. The pirates, however, only print these books without contributing to the development costs, leaving both the authors and Afram Publications at a loss. Worse still, students who rely on these counterfeit texts are being misled with inaccurate information.
Ms. Tagoe has made it clear that Afram Publications, alongside its distribution partner, the Regional Centres for the Teaching of French (CREF-Ghana), is taking swift action to address this issue. She warned those involved in the production and sale of pirated copies that her office is currently collaborating with the Copyright Office to investigate the matter thoroughly. She further stressed that legal action would be taken against any individuals or entities found guilty of copyright infringement.
“The Copyright Office is already investigating this issue, and we will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone caught in the act of selling or distributing pirated copies,” Ms. Tagoe affirmed.
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She also provided a simple way for students to distinguish between authentic and pirated copies of the textbooks. The genuine “L’argent ne Fait pas le Bonheur,” authored by Margaret Kwakwa, features a hologram sticker displaying the Afram Publications’ stool in the center, while the pirated version lacks this feature. Additionally, the original book has a blue-colored back cover, while the counterfeit version lacks the same aesthetic appeal.
For the “La Famille Ntow” textbook, authored by Enyonam Keteku, Ms. Tagoe explained that the original edition is characterized by its higher-quality design and overall appeal. Students should look for the genuine textbooks with the distinctive hologram and blue cover to avoid falling victim to fraudulent publications.
Ms. Tagoe also revealed that Afram Publications had found pirated copies being sold in some Senior High Schools in the Greater Accra Region. The pirated books, which were found to contain significant mistakes, were being sold to students at prices higher than the original copies—a situation she described as both shocking and unacceptable.
“We urge students to be vigilant when purchasing these books,” Ms. Tagoe added. “The book with the green cover in the market is a fake. Look out for the book with the hologram sticker and the blue cover to ensure you’re getting the original copy.”
Afram Publications, with over five decades of experience, is Ghana’s leading indigenous book-publishing house. It is known for its significant contributions to Ghanaian literature and educational materials for schools. The company is highly regarded for publishing textbooks at all levels of education, from pre-school to tertiary, and has a strong reputation for producing quality learning resources.
Some of Afram Publications’ popular works include “Afrakoma (The Warrior Princess),” “Voice in the Forest,” “Return of No Return and Other Poems,” “Trinity High Big Changes,” and “The Incredible Adventures of Wapi,” among many others. As an influential force in the Ghanaian publishing industry, Afram Publications remains committed to producing educational materials that are both accurate and of the highest quality.
In conclusion, students are urged to make informed purchasing decisions and support the legitimate publishers to ensure the continued availability of quality educational resources. Counterfeit textbooks not only affect students’ academic growth but also undermine the efforts of hardworking authors and publishers who invest time, effort, and resources into producing valuable educational content.
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