Kojo Antwi can transform GHAMRO – Betty-Mould

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Betty Mould Iddrisu has expressed confidence in the ability of newly elected Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), to deliver on his promise to sanitise the music and arts scene.

Mrs. Mould Iddrisu who once worked as Ghana’s Copyright Administrator while she served at the Nation’s Ministry of Justice told Bola Ray on the Starr Chat on Starr 103.5FM that Ghana’s music maestro, Kojo Antwi who was recently elected unopposed to lead the scandal-burdened organisation, seems determined to make changes.

On Wednesday February 11, 2015, 3,700 musicians and artistes voted Kojo Antwi into power.

GHAMRO, before the elections had intermittently been rocked with leadership crises. One of such troubles forced the Human Rights Court in Accra to order the group’s board, formerly led by Carlos Sakyi, to step aside after some disgruntled members filed a suit against the leadership.

The court further appointed an interim board with the mandate to organise an election which saw the new board consisting of James Kwaku Tuffour who beat Randy Noonoo George to become Deputy Chairman (Composer), while Ahmed Banda (Bandex) beat Dominic Anomah (Producer/Publisher) to the Deputy Chairman position.

Others who are serving on the Antwi-led board are Diana Hopeson, Zapp Mallet, Mary Ghansah, Nana Kwaku Duah (Tic Tac), Bessa Simons Henry and Augustina Addison (Composers).

In an exclusive interview on Wednesday night, Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said the ‘Bomi Nkomo De’ hitmaker, who happens to be her favourite musician paid her a visit to ask her for professional advice on the way to proceed with GHAMRO.

“I told him that he should know he is there for the interest of the musicians and not musicians alone, but also the composers and authors. He is there to protect their interest and that I am there for him at any point in time”.

Mrs Mould-Iddrisu intimated she has a soft spot for the arts and “adores musicians” for what they do.

“I love the individualism, I love the creativity. I love the fact that they are just ordinary people who God has given this genius and this spark and the fact that they are able to touch people’s lives. I just really, really adore them."

She mentioned ‘Dancehall King’ Samini as her favourite hiplife musician adding that she enjoys the talent of female artistes such as Efya, Kaakie and Becca.

Mould-Iddrisu worked with Ghana’s Ministry of Justice from 1978 until her appointment at the Commonwealth Secretariat in November 2003. At the Justice Ministry, she headed the Industrial Property Law Division and was later appointed Ghana’s Copyright Administrator before leaving for the Commonwealth job, after serving as Head of the Ministry’s International Law Division.”