GHAMRO’s operating license withheld, executives seek answers to pertinent questions

Chairman of GHAMRO’s management committee, Mr. Rex Omar, has disclosed that his outfit would not be able to distribute any funds until further notice.

He made these comments while stating that the organization’s license has for a while now been withheld by the Attorney General through the Copyright office over some pending legal matters.

At a press conference in Accra on Thursday, June 1, 2023, Rex Omar said the development has sparked calls by Akosua Agyapong, for the office’s closure, and sabotage from stakeholders among others.

“We wish to express that GHAMRO’s operation license has been withheld by the regulator through the copyright office and as a result, GHAMRO will not be able to distribute any royalties as it’s been unable to follow the collection mandate until the mandate is renewed,” he stated.

One can recall that Akosua Agyapong has had a longstanding feud with the Music Rights Society, as she has accused them severally of non-compliance to many recommendations enshrined in the organization’s 2021 report.

Among the other things she had championed was a requirement for GHAMRO to use 10% of royalties for the welfare of rights holders.

These grievances, however, intensified following the demise of highlife singer, Akwaboah Snr, who she claimed wasn’t treated fairly by GHAMRO while he was alive.

Earlier, whiles reacting to the late Kwadwo Akwaboah’s death, Akosua Agyapong alleged that GHAMRO gave him a meager amount of GHC200.00 when he needed money to cater to purchase some medicines.

But reacting to Akosua’s constant chastisements, Rex Omar has taken strong exception while describing it as a “smear campaign to malign the management and Directors of the organization with misleading information to further a personal agenda.”

“Over a period of one year that our mandate has been withheld, these same disgruntled members led by Akosua Agyapong have been jumping from one radio station to the other asking users not to pay to GHAMRO. To the extent that some of our staff would go out to collect royalties and be beaten, the regulator is aware and nothing has been done,” he added.

“In 2010, GHAMRO submitted all the requisite documentation for the renewal of its license in June, 2022. This is against a campaign from notable persons like Madam Akosua Agyapong that the organization certificate has not been renewed and that Users should stop payments for the use of protected music which is regulated under law,” Rex Omar further stated.

Meanwhile, Rex Omar has said has that they are still mandated to collect music royalties despite the non-renewal of their licence.

“The licence gives us the mandate to operate as a collective management organisation which deals with other foreign music CMOs. We will still collect [the royalties] by law until we get our licence. That is why we say we can’t distribute. Because collecting is one thing, distributing is another,” he said.