Bosumprah Kicked Out Of Copyright Office

Following the copyright stakeholders’ agitation of his removal from office, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Betty Mould-Iddrisu, has finally asked the copyright boss, Bernard K Bosumprah, to proceed on his accumulated leave and on his return should report to her for reassignment.

The copyright boss, whose leave ends on Wednesday, October 6, is expected to report to the honourable minister on Thursday, October 7, 2010, for reassignment.

In a letter dated June 18, 2010, and signed by Suleiman Ahmed, Chief Director, on behalf of the minister, stated “please be informed that it has been decided to reassign you.Accordingly, you will be assigned to duties at the Head Office of the Ministry of Justice, which is currently being restructured to meet new challenges.”

The letter also directed the copyright administrator to immediately hand over his duties as copyright administrator to the most senior officer in the copyright office, Yaa Akyena Attafuah, Principal State Attorney. At the time of going to press, he had not done that.

It would be recalled that a few months ago, members of the Association of Music Right Owners (AMRO) agitated for the removal of the copyright boss and also demanded that he should be probed for his conduct, actions and inactions that have turned the Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA) and the Copyright sector into a “tragic disaster.”

The musicians noted that Bernard Bosumprah’s exit from the sector would pave the way for sanity to prevail in the music industry.

They expressed their satisfaction with the Attorney General’s decision to reassign the copyright boss.

In February this year, the Coalition of Copyright Owners demanded the removal of the copyright administrator, Bernard Bosompra, from office else they would take to the streets in a demonstration.

In a statement, president of the coalition, Gyedu Blay Ambuley, called on the government to fire the copyright administrator because, according to him, Mr. Bosumpra is inefficient.

He noted that “the copyright administrator has done so much wrong to us and as you see musicians are hungry and in poverty”.

Trouble has been brewing for years in the country as artistes continually disagree with the musicians union, arguing their interests are not being served.