Govt urged to enact tough laws to address piracy in music industry

Accra, April 29, GNA - Mr. Orrack Chabaagu, Director of EMI, South Africa, an international record label, on Friday noted that piracy was one of the biggest problems hindering the music industry and called on Government to enact tough laws to address the problem in the country. "Government should put in place measures that would make piracy unattractive by punishing those who pirate music so that musicians can enjoy the fruits of their labour," he said at a day's seminar in Accra. Mr Chabaagu was speaking on, "How to Improve the Music Industry in Ghana and International Distribution and Marketing of Ghanaian Music."

The workshop, which was organised by Charter House, a private event management and marketing company, as part of activities marking the Sixth Anniversary of the Ghana Music Awards, brought together musicians, sound engineers, music producers and distributors to deliberate on the way forward for the music industry.

"It is unfortunate that after one has gone through thick and thin to produce his music, he does not live to enjoy its results because of piracy," Mr Chabaagu said.

He called on Ghanaian musicians to concentrate on their indigenous music if they want to make it on the international market, saying "Ghana can make it on the international scene if we promote our local music." "The western countries want to listen to what we have in Africa here and not those who want to sing like them."

He called on Government to regard music as an important tool for promoting the country abroad saying, "most Western countries have made it because of the importance their governments attach to music." Mr. Prigh Tladi, President of the South African Promoters' Association, called for a National Music Conference in Accra, which would bring together all stakeholders in the music industry to address the problems of musicians and present their recommendations to the President for action.

He called on musicians to see marketing as an important part in their career, saying that without good managers to market their music, they could not make it on the international market.

Alhaji Sidiku Buari, President of Musicians Association of Ghana, called for tax breaks for companies that sponsored music and arts in the country.

He called for the creation of a music development council, which would bring together all bodies responsible for promoting the music industry to address the problem of musicians.