Bawumia Advocates for Music Royalties for Ghanaian Musicians
Yesterday, during the launch of Ghanaian music streaming application GMX (Ghanaian Music Experience), the Vice – President of Ghana Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, called on Ghanaians to appreciate Ghanaian musicians by paying for the music Ghanaians listen to. He added that Government was determined to end musical piracy by illegal online music websites and therefore, would continue to put in place the necessary structures to eradicate online piracy of Ghanaian music. He said this in his address to the audience at the De – Icon Centre in East Legon, Accra; as he spoke on the need to adapt to the global digital revolution for financial growth and equity, and social inclusion.
Dr. Bawumia pledged to continue the fight against piracy as a necessary means of protecting the Ghanaian musician. “All of us, as Ghanaians must begin to appreciate our musicians through the culture of paying for music we listen to. Today, I want to emphasize Government’s commitment to fighting one of the biggest challenges facing our music industry; that is piracy. Music piracy undermines the hard work, creativity and dedication of our talented musicians, producers, and the entire industry. To protect Ghana’s creative community, government will continue to pursue measures to clamp down on illegal music streaming websites and platforms; both online and on social media”, he said.
Still on the issue of piracy, Dr. Bawumia added that government was going to empower the Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) to effectively assist in combating piracy of Ghanaian music. “Another area that is necessary and needs support and attention is monitory, collection and distribution of Royalties. This is an area that requires broader consultation and collaboration. Government is determined to support GHAMRO to first regularise its licence to operate and to provide necessary support to fully deploy the GHAMRO Management Information System; as well as the Royalties ‘log – In’ monitoring system… Government is going to support GHAMRO in the acquisition of a sophisticated software solution to improve their ability to monitor, collect and distribute royalties in a transparent manner”, he explained.
Finally, the Vice – President of Ghana Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia advised that Ghanaian musicians and those who are involved in the creative process, should take advantage of the digital revolution in order to maximize financial gains on their works. “Music is the heart beat of Ghana, and it is an essential component of our cultural identity. Our musicians are building a legacy that is powerful, diverse, and resonant. However, this legacy, requires tools and platforms to ensure that our artistes, composers, producers, executive producers, and all those who contribute to this vibrant industry receive their due recognition, compensation, and their rightful place on the global stage… And, it is very important that we use these tools that are offered by the digital age to monetize our talent in the Ghanaian music industry”, he said.
Also present at the launch were the the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority Akwasi Agyeman, the President of the Musicians Union of Ghana Bessa Simons, award winning Ghanaian musicians Samini and EL, among others.
