We'll force govt to make structures work in the creative industry - Shatta Wale

Award-winning Dancehall artiste Charles Nii Armah Mensah, widely known as Shatta Wale says it’s time music industry players speak up against the injustice in the industry.

He says being silent about happenings in the music industry has over the years adversely affected the industry and it’s imperative that players speak up now.

To him, every industry is structured and has leadership that fights for their rights but that cannot be said about the music and creative arts industry in Ghana.

He notes that there are no systems in the creative arts industry to regulate its activities and ensure that creatives benefit from their gifts.

“There are people who have applied commonsense and have made it out of music. But there is a need for us to speak up about the injustice in the system. If such people keep quiet my royalties are affected so they need to speak up.”

Shatta Wale noted that there are calls to make Mark Okraku Mantey the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture but indicated that he is not aware what Okraku Mantey has done in streamlining the industry to make it structured and lucrative to deserve a Ministerial appointment.

“If we can put our videos on youtube and iTunes for them to pay us, why can’t we force the President to make the structures work so that we can get our royalties in Ghana? Creative arts player actors, musicians and actresses why can’t we come together and force the government to structure this thing for us,” he said in a Facebook Livestream monitored by MyNewsGh.com.