In Ghana, there is no way you can do away with these two (2) organisations if you really mean it — to do music in Ghana and succeed without being cheated. The organisations are; GHAMRO and MUSIGA that are operating in Ghana.
I believe we all know what is GHAMRO and MUSIGA in Ghana. Anyway, GHAMRO simply means Ghana Music Rights Organisation while MUSIGA means Musicians Union of Ghana.
I would like to give you all the latest information you may need to know about The Difference Between GHAMRO And MUSIGA as Mr. Cobbinah Explains
What Is GHAMRO?
The Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) is a royalties collection agency within Ghana, that represents the rights of music copyright holders. It was created under section 49 of the Copyright Law, Act 690 of 2005. The agency collects royalties for all rights owners in Ghana.
What Is MUSIGA?
If you are a musician, there is no way you shall forget what this organisation is, including its functions in Ghana. The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) is an umbrella group that unites all musicians in Ghana irrespective of life music genre.
People often mistake Ghana Music Rights Organizations’ (GHAMRO) duties with that of Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) but Mr. Emmanuel Cobbinah the vice chairman of MUSIGA in Central Region cleared things up with Pa Kay on Skery Spark Talk. In clarification, he explained to us and here is everything you may need to know about the The Difference Between GHAMRO And MUSIGA.
“When people see the collection of royalties they mostly think it is MUSIGA and they come to the office to make trouble but what I want to tell them is that, GHAMRO and MUSIGA are two opposite organizations. MUSIGA takes purposely the music aspect and GHAMRO takes the royalties not only for music but for those who write books, act movies, painting work etc. but most people don’t understand royalties” he explained.
He said most instrumentalists should have collected royalties but they don’t understand it so they don’t collect it. The meaning is if one does his work at the studio and someone plays the trumpet for him he can negotiate with him if he has to pay ghc20 for the trumpeter. The trumpeter can ask him to pay ghc5 instead and for the rest of the money which is ghc15 he can take it and rather add the trumpeters name to the copyright, that he played the trumpet. “it is just like someone who weaves a basket if he gives it to you as a gift and you get a prize because of it you will have to share it with the one who wove it but if he sells it to you and you get a prize, he doesn’t have a share in it.” He added.
Mr. Cobbinah revealed that very soon car drivers will have to pay copyrights just like bars, restaurants etc are paying because some have a lot movies on their pen drives which they use to entertain passengers. That tax will not only cover music but movies as well.
He also made it clear that you register as a member of MUSIGA and then you register your works at GHAMRO to get a copyright. He said that very soon a chat will be provided so that every song that a dj or presenter plays he will mark to make it clear that he played this or that because some people have made songs which are never played but they still collect same amount as those whose music are mostly played.
We all love music, and musicians in Ghana are performing their possible best to provide good music to average Ghanaian music lovers. From hip hops, Gospel, High life, RnB songs, cools and more.
In all, this is what you may need to know today, about the difference between GHAMRO and MUSIGA in Ghana.