Royalties: Leave the church alone – Patience Nyarko to GHAMRO

Gospel Musician Patience Nyarko has kicked against an intention by the Ghana Music Right Organisation (GHAMRO) to take royalties from churches for the use of music for services.

GHAMRO said it is putting in place measures for churches to pay for any musical works used during service.

Apart from churches, the music rights organisation also want to go after commercial transport owners who have entertainment systems in their cars.

Kicking against the move on CTV’s entertainment show, The Showbiz, Patience Nyarko said the move on churches is wrong because gospel musicians have no original songs but record songs belonging to the churches.

The Obi Nyanime hitmaker told show host Kojo Preko Dankwa that if the churches ask gospel musicians to stop recording or singing their songs or even ask every musician that has commercially recorded songs belonging to the church to pay royalties to them, that money will be so huge that the gospel musicians cannot pay.

“So, please, they should leave the churches alone,” Ms Nyarko stated.

She noted that taking royalties from the church will mar the relationship between gospel musicians and the churches.

She, however, agreed with the move to charge transport owners royalties for the music they enjoy in their cars.

“I agree with the transport bit because there are many cars in Ghana. If each car should pay GHS5 every year just like they pay for roadworthy certificates, GHAMRO can do a lot for musicians to be comfortable but they should leave the church alone,” she stressed.