The Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) has taken legal action against the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) for failing to pay royalties to music right owners since 2012.
Public Relations Officer of GHAMRO, Prince Tsegah who disclosed this on Adom FM’s Morning Show ‘Dwaso Nsem’ Friday said his outfit undertook an assessment of the royalties-indebtedness of the media outlets and realized that ‘royalties-indebtedness of the State broadcaster for between 2012 and 2017 remain unpaid.’
“GBC owes us royalties for so many years. Collecting it has been very difficult and therefore we have decided to sue them and make sure that they do the right thing as a state broadcaster,” he said.
According to him, GBC failed to obtain user licenses for the communication, use/performance of musical works of the public through its various radio and television subsidiaries.
GHAMRO is an organisation registered under the laws of Ghana and further authorized by law to basically license, collect and distribute royalties for and on behalf of musicians/authors, composers and producers/publishers of musical works.
The organisation headed by highlife musician, Rex Omar has vowed to ensure that music right owners benefit from their intellectual property.
According to him, the organisation will be embarking on an exercise to make sure all users of musical works pay for the works they ‘consume.’
Source: Adomonline.com/Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy
