A Kumasi-based music producer cum broadcast journalist, Collins Agyemang Fordjour, has appealed to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to take steps to resuscitate the operations of Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO).
Agyemang Fordjour has bemoaned the alleged threat by the Attorney-General not to renew GHAMRO’s licence, until all court cases against it are determined as posted at the GHAMRO office in Accra.
He pleaded with the A-G to ensure the speedy trial of cases most of which have been initiated by members against GHAMRO in order to streamline its operations.
Agyemang Fordjour also called on the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice as the industry regulator to come out and state clearly its position with regards to the operations of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation.
He noted that the swift intervention of the Attorney General and the effective running of GHAMRO would go a long way to resuscitate and save the already dying music industry from collapse and ensure that copy right owners benefit from its formation.
He has also urged the executives and leadership of GHAMRO to rise up to the challenge and be proactive with the execution of its mandate, as well as ensure that they speed up the determination of all legal suits which he said is eating deep into the coffers of the organisation.
According to the concerned music industry player, the music industry is in crisis, following the inefficient running of the organisation which is supposed to be the Collective Management Organisation (CMO) and thus champion the welfare of musicians and copyright owners.
He observed that GHAMRO, which has been rendered ineffective by the litany of legal suits, is wasting funds fighting endless legal battles in court at the expense of members whose interest it is supposed to fight for.
He lamented on the current state of affairs of GHAMRO and the plight of musicians as copy right owners whose major source of income remain royalties from their works.
Agyemang Fordjour also expressed worry about the expiration of its Licence on April 3, 2022 which had been issued on April 3, 2017 in accordance with the Copyright Act of 2005 (Act 690) and the Copyright Regulations of 2010 L.I. 1962.
The music producer noted that GHAMRO is currently finding it difficult to collect royalties for copyright owners because the leadership is not effective coupled with the many legal suits confronting it at the law courts.
According to him, GHAMRO has failed its mandate to collect royalties on behalf of its members the reason why most musicians are suffering and resorting to soliciting financial assistance from the public in times of need.
He stressed that the resources of the organization are not managed well and advised the Administrator and the leadership to use the required modalities for the collection and management of the royalties.
It is for these reasons that he is pleading with the A-G to take the necessary steps to rescue GHAMRO and the music industry from collapsing from mismanagement.
