Amakye Dede
Amakye Dede has called on the current leadership of Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo, to deal mercilessly with those who have allegedly looted GHAMRO coffers and also confiscated their assets.
He also called for stiffer punishment to any person found guilty of stealing from the GHAMRO’s coffers.
The highlife musician made these known after a special audit report of the accounts of GHAMRO supervised by the Auditor General was published in the media.
The audit report alleged that a total of GH¢2,339,272.79 belonging to GHAMRO had disappeared from the organisation’s account.
According to the report, an amount of ¢2,113,803.93 made up of bank transfers and several withdrawals, including cash made from banks, have been spent with no better details.
The report indicated that there were shortages of monies collected and lodged on behalf of GHAMRO totalling ¢147,814.86.
An amount of GH¢22,500 being financial assistance and medical support purportedly made to members were without relevant supporting documents.
The report added that an imprest of GH¢22,445 recorded as daily transportation and fuel allowance was also given without board approval.
The report requests for an account of sitting allowances of GH¢11579 and GH¢4910 for board and other committee members respectively in 2012.
It also stated that an amount of GH¢9150 directly withdrawn as protocol payments without any supporting documents and a further GH¢7070 was given to persons whose identities and relations to the organisation were not known through petty cash vouchers.
The audit was conducted on the accounts of the organisation from 2012 to 2016 as a result of agitations from some members who demanded to know the financial state of GHAMRO.
The Carlos Sakyi-led GHAMRO’s board worked from 2012 to 2014, with Kojo Antwi taking over from 2015 to 2017.
Speaking in an interview with BEATWAVES yesterday, Amakye Dede indicated that the previous GHAMRO administrators have gravely rendered GHAMRO impotent in development.
He disclosed that he would soon present a petition to the Auditor-General (A-G) demanding an explanation from him on the steps he had taken to retrieve money misappropriated by previous GHAMRO leaders as captured in the reports.
He warned that if the A-G fails to give appropriate responses, he would take the matter to court.
He, therefore, urged the current GHAMRO board, Auditor General and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to, as a matter of urgency, expedite action on the prosecution of past GHAMRO managers.
By George Clifford Owusu