Musicians must be more creative - Kojo Antwi

Mr Kojo Antwi, Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation, has advised musicians to be creative enough to draw attention to their work so as to increase their earnings.

He said creativity is very important in the music industry, explaining that it is through such processes that one could be unique and draw attention to his or her work.

Mr Antwi was addressing some musicians from the Northern and Upper East Region in Tamale at the weekend.

He expressed worry about people’s inability to pay royalties to musicians noting that it is affecting their businesses.

He urged the public to pay for the music that they use.

Mr Antwi observed that many politicians take musicians in Ghana for granted and use them for political activities and forget about them right after elections.

He noted that a popular musician whose songs are being used by some political parties was abandoned during ill-health until the intervention of GHAMRO.

Mr Antwi asked members of GHAMRO to make their concerns known to the organisation so they would be addressed.

Mr Abraham Adjatey, Chief Officer of GHAMRO said the organisation was established by Act 690 and a Legislative Instrument (LI) 962 and has the mandate to collect royalties from users of music.

He said GHAMRO has been sensitising the public to pay royalties of music that they use and so far six institutions have been sent to court for non-settlement of royalties.

He appealed to the public and institutions to pay r4oyalties of music they use to make musicians productive.

Some musicians who were suffering from ill-health were supported with undisclosed amount of money to support them.