The National Society of Ghana Music Producers (NASGAMP) has held a 4-day workshop under the theme ‘Advocacy for the Enforcement of Copyright Laws to Protect Music Right Owners’, for its members in Kumasi.
NASGAMP is made up of renowned Ghanaian musicians and producers whose interest is to promote peace and harmony to propel the growth of the music industry. The leadership of the association, since it was formed, has initiated programmes to guarantee regular incomes for the members.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ashanti Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), S.F Adjei, appealed to stakeholders in the creative arts industry to strengthen their front and pursue strategies that would safeguard and protect their rights and interest.
According to him, lack of unity and effective collaboration among the stakeholders had been a major drawback. He noted that it was sad to see some musicians and music producers living in poverty after they had passed their prime and were at the twilight of their careers.
This, situation, he said, should change, adding that they needed to pull together to tackle head-on all obstacles that inhibited musicians and producers “from enjoying the fruits of their labour.”
President of NASGAMP, John Mensah Sarpong, in a short speech, said even though Ghana’s copyright laws had been acclaimed as one of the best in Africa, its weak implementation was preventing intellectual property owners from reaping the required benefits.
He said many investors were withdrawing from the industry due to high rate of piracy, which was pushing them into huge debts.
Mr. Mensah revealed that the collaboration between NASGAMP and BUSAC was to build the capacities of members to actively engage the government and other stakeholders to deal with piracy and other challenges facing the industry.
Mr. Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo, Consultant to BUSAC Fund, said the training programme would help members to implement an action plan to reduce piracy.
