A group that calls itself the Alliance For Change In Ghana Music, has called on all music stakeholders and the public to help put the music industry in shape.
In a statement signed by Mark Darlington Osae, Chairman of the Steering Committee, this initiative will be advocating the implementation of full digitization of the royalty collection system in Ghana and set standard royalty rates per play by radio and television stations.
The group says its fight is against “decades of unacceptable mediocrity, institutional corruption due to lack of transparency and perceived incompetent leadership, which stifles the growth of the industry.”
Their fight is also against ineffective systems and any group of persons who have been given the power to serve in the Ghana Music Industry but deliberately or non-deliberately under-performing.
It is also to promote the education of stakeholders to ensure they have a better understanding of the music business, know the other available avenues to generate income, as well what their rights are in terms of contracts and agreements.
This movement which also comprises of creatives or talents, managers, record producers, road managers, investment bankers, publicists, event organizers and media personalities are pushing to get the Ghana music industry plugged into the global music industry in order to attract multinational record labels, publishing companies, booking agencies, tour companies, media houses, royalty collection companies and multi-national/local investors.
The group strongly believes the plight of the industry is as a result of the lack of proper systems and efficient structures, which has equally rendered administration incompetent in governing the affairs of the music business in Ghana.
The sad and shambolic situation, according to Mark Darlington, has left a hole in the pockets of many creative people and also had a ripple effect on other music industry stakeholders like investors, managers, labels, bloggers, promoters, event organizers, video directors, video models, production assistants, dancers.
Music industries all over the world are significantly contributing to the economies of their countries such as the UK, Nigeria, South Africa, America etc. but the same cannot be said about the music industry in Ghana.
The Alliance For Change In Ghana Music is a collection of creative arts stakeholders who believe in creating a thriving and prosperous music industry, which will fairly reward all individuals and entities engaged in the music business in Ghana.
They are a charity and a pressure group fighting for a positive change and a proper restructuring of the Ghana music industry, in order to attract global and local investment, by creating a sustainable music business economy.
According to them for a long period of time, the Ghana music industry has seen the majority of its stakeholders work very hard but receive very little or NO income for their hard work and dedication through no fault of theirs but due to a failed system which gets worse by the years.
They also say that lot of Ghanaian musicians, songwriters, producers, instrumentalists, sound engineers, etc., have died poor or struggle to make ends meet, after several years of dedicating their lives to a trade which should have supported their livelihood during their prime and also in their retirement.
So far artists like Reggie ‘N’ Bollie, Dada Hafco, Samini, Reggie Rockstone and others have thrown their weight behind the movement.
The main objectives of the group are summarised below:
(1). To seek modern ways of generating income for the music industry and Ghana as a whole through the creative arts.
(2). To make the Ghana music industry attractive to investors again.
(3). To recreate an industry which will significantly contribute to the economy of Ghana by restructuring how the music business is done in Ghana.
(4). To ensure creative people are able to pay their fair share of taxes in Ghana and also contribute to national or private pension schemes.
(5). To create a booming music industry economy which will not only create more employment locally but also able to compete globally.
(6) To get the Ghana music industry plugged into the global music industry in order to attract multinational record labels, publishing companies, booking agencies, tour companies, media houses, royalty collection companies and investment companies.
(7). To fully digitize the royalty collection system in Ghana and set standard royalty rates per play by radio and television stations.
(8). To end the payment of payola in Ghana because the new system should ensure all DJs and presenters are paid well, thereby negating the need to collect payola.
(8). To we want to end a system that forces musicians to pay television stations before their videos are aired as content on television (except for clear promotional slots), without getting due royalties.
(9). To create a system that will make multi-millionaires of chart-topping artists and reward hardworking contributors with great wealth. Free music downloads must become a thing of the past.
