Rex Omar
The management of the Ghana Music Right Organisation (GHAMRO), led by Rex Omar, has announced that payment of royalties to its members for the June and July season will commence soon.
According the GHAMRO, “This delay has been occasioned by processing difficulties with the state agencies through which the blank levy is paid.”
It assured its members that these difficulties have been solved after series of meetings and discussions with the respective offices in charge of the release of funds, adding that the collective society will soon send bulk text messages confirming payment date and processes to its members.
In a statement issued and signed by its public relations officer, Prince Tsegah, GHAMRO said, “It has regularised the issue and very soon bank accounts of its members will be credited with their first royalties for the year 2018.”
GHAMRO, however, apologised to its members for the delay in the payment of royalties due them. It also advised its members to be patient as plans are far advanced for prompt distribution of the royalties.
In a related development, the collective society is embarking on a national enforcement operation to retrieve all broadcasting copyright royalty fees for 2018.
It said all public music users, including radio and TV stations, hotels, night clubs, pubs, event organisers, barber salons, shopping malls and others which have not renewed their operational license for 2018 or who have not as yet regularised their operations with GHAMRO should do so as soon as possible to avoid prosecution and embarrassment.
The statement warned that all copyright royalties should be paid directly to GHAMRO since the organisation is not dealing with any association for the collection of royalties.
It said it is an offence under the copyright law to use music in a public place without prior approval from GHAMRO under Section 36 of the LI 1962 of 2010.
By George Clifford Owusu