The Musician Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has issued a stern warning to those with ears and willing to hear that soon, the Union would embark on a strike to register its displeasure against television and radio stations operating in the country.
The intended strike according to the Chairman of the Greater Accra regional branch of the Union, Tic Tac, is obliged to prevent television and radio stations from using their works if they (musicians) cannot be paid their worth when their intellectual property is used.
They said even though radio and television stations use their songs to make money on their platforms, what is given to the musicians is too bad and nothing to write home about.
For instance, these stations always adjust their promotion or advertising cards regularly yet the insufficient returns they give to musicians have always been the same and very little.
These stations enrich themselves with monies acquired as the result of using their songs on radio and on tv at the expense of the musicians who own the intellectual property of the songs.
Due to high cost of music production in Ghana, most musicians are living in abject poverty. Some are known to have died as paupers.
The above was made public when the newly elected executives of the Greater Accra Regional Branch of MUSIGA assembled at the Music Hall to meet for the first time and to deliberate on issues affecting musicians in the country and also set the agenda for the coming years.
The meeting which was held under the theme “Time to act is now let’s talk about the industry and make decisions to protect us and make us prosperous” afforded members to be abreast of the running of the Union in the region.
Some members for the first time obtained their membership cards and promised to pay their dues on time.
As first meeting, various issues were discussed, both long and short term but one which was well over-stretched was the issue of revenue for musicians.
The passion in which the discussion went concerning the how musicians recoup back their revenues used in producing works was indication that all is not well with them.
Samini advised his colleagues on how they can make money when right things are done at right way.
The commencement of the strike would be announced soon and it’s expected to last for 3 months as radio and television stations would be compelled not to play any song.
During the 3 months, there would be meetings and deliberations between the stations and the Union to see how both organisations can benefit from each other.
If the 3 months elapse and nothing is done about their plight, the strike would be extended to another 3 months. This, the Chairman said will continue till musicians in Ghana are well remunerated.