Churches paying royalties 'unthinkable and lazy' – Trigmatic

Ghanaian musician, Trigmatic, has described a decision by the Ghana Music Right Organization (GHAMRO) for churches to pay royalties as ‘airheaded’, ‘lazy’ and an ‘unthinkable’ decision.

The ‘Sika Nti’ singer who was a guest on the celebrity Fanzone on GhoneTV said: “I think that it is an airheaded decision, it is something that shouldn’t even be a thought.”

“If Ghana has not been able to successfully collect TV licenses and other things, what shows they would be able to collect royalties? Which systems and mechanisms are they going to use in the first place?” he questioned.

According to the chairman of the organisation, Rex Omar, GHAMRO has plans to compel churches to pay royalties for the music they use.

Trigmatic, who described himself as a believer and an elder at the church, also argued that GHAMRO’s decision is simply a lazy way of extorting money from churches and an insult to his faith.

“I think it is a lazy way wanting to take money or extortion… I even feel and this is with no disrespect or anything to anybody, I feel like it is an attack on the church. What about the other places, you haven’t collected from, the other institutions; night clubs, radio stations etc.

I know churches even pay gospel musicians more when they are coming to perform in the churches. It shouldn’t have been thought of in the first place. I am a believer as well. It is an insult to my faith,” the musician stressed.