President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Bessa Simons has revealed sanctions the Union intends to introduce to compel users of Ghanaian songs including media houses to pay royalties to artistes.
Speaking in an interview, Mr. Simons explained that currently songs are being used without any dime paid as royalties to artistes.
He disclosed that the Union has decided that from June this year, it will publish names of all media houses and users who will not pay royalties for using songs.
He noted that MUSIGA will soon announce the directive, noting that “we shouldn’t also charge you something that you cannot pay, it has to be a well-planned system so that we grow together.”
“And the media houses will have to pay their royalties so that musicians and the artistes can receive their monies. And this year, one interesting that is going to happen is that anybody who does not pay their royalties, MUSIGA will put your name out there.
“Once you play music, you are renting a house, you have to pay for it. If you don’t pay for it, MUSIGA will put it out there in June those who haven’t paid and then we will assign you to the poor musicians and the musicians who can’t look after themselves that you haven’t paid them that is why they are suffering,” he stated.
He stressed that the royalties are needed to support artistes due to the huge cost they incur in their craft.
“I think the media houses will also have to support us. That’s the only way musicians can pay anyone doing their marketing,” he added.
He continued: “At the moment people are using music and not paying at all, the lowest people are getting is GHC100, what are they going to do with it?”
