MUSIGA commends Kufuor for his interest in music industry

Accra, Sept. 13, GNA - The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), has commended President John Agyekum Kufuor, for his inestimable interest in the Ghanaian music industry.

In a statement signed by its President Alhaji Sidiku Buari, the Union noted that President Kufuor had at various forums indicated his interest in the Ghanaian music industry, the latest being his invitation to local and foreign investors to turn their attention to Ghana's music and tourism industries at a gathering of dignitaries including investors at the Barclays Offshore Banking dinner night in Accra. MUSIGA expressed gratitude to President Kufuor for waiving taxes on some musical instruments and the promulgation of the Copyright Law, which aims at checking piracy of intellectual property. The Union appealed to the President to use his good offices to ensure the passage of the Legislative Instrument (LI) to the Copyright Law to make it effective.

It noted that it was about two years age since the Copyright Law was passed but pointed out that the absence of a requisite LI to make the law effective had become a stumbling block. The Union emphasised President Kufuor's statement that Ghana had produced great musicians of the classical mode that were celebrated by choral groups at local and musical festivals. "What is hampering the development of Ghanaian music is the activities of pirates, which has contributed greatly to the impoverishment of local musicians thereby stifling their efforts" the statement added.