Deborah Freeman
Deborah Freeman, a gospel artiste, songwriter, and general secretary of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), has declared her intentions to contest the presidency of the union.
The MUSIGA national elections are scheduled for January 12, 2022 with the new executives coming into office in February 2022.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) will supervise the elections which will be held in all the regional capitals.
Deborah Freeman indicated that when elected to the highest office of the union, it would result in an improved recognition and respect for the profession as well as contribute to strengthening the union’s structures, restoring the trust of the corporate world for the union and improving the general working and living standards of musicians.
Deborah has been in the music scene for over a decade, with over three gospel albums as well as many songs to her credit.
She has been working for MUSIGA for the past 19 years, as regional secretary for two terms, as staff at MUSIGA Headquarters, personal assistant to past presidents, and served two terms as general secretary.
“I know the union inside and out. I have experience of working in the arts sector and Trade Unions and I believe I am the best person to take the union forward in the right direction,” she said.
She told BEATWAVES that the current state of the music industry in Ghana needs the services of competent people to manage it in order to create job opportunities for the musicians and other players in the industry.
She mentioned that when elected as MUSIGA president, she would use her position to push for the enforcement of the needed industry policies and engage policy makers to formulate and implement appropriate interventions to help streamline business operations in the creative industry.
“I have the operational knowledge to safeguard the future of the union. As a union, our focus should be serving and organising members, responding quickly to their needs and delivering the best range of services and benefits possible,” she pointed out.
She explained that experiences gained at the music front and in Trade Unions over the years would enable her bring all musicians, and other players in the music industry together to influence government policies to help develop the music industry.
The gospel singer and songwriter opined that the music industry has a great future, a potential that can contribute immensely toward the socio-economic development of the country, hence her quest to contest the MUSIGA presidency.
According to her, the current state of the music industry required the harnessing of the skill and knowledge of all the industry players to take Ghanaian music to a desired level.
“Throughout this time and looking forward, as I become the president of the union, my focus is: to build the union’s strength, regain for the union the trust of the corporate world and improve the working lives of every single musician in Ghana,” she told BEATWAVES.
Deborah Freeman is the only woman who emerged successful in the 2011 MUSIGA national elections held in Tamale, and has actually proven beyond doubt that she is a force to reckon with.
“Throughout my service, I have stood my grounds on a wide range of issues to the benefit of the union and members as a whole: adherence to the union’s constitution and policies, strengthening structures, fairness, transparency and accountability, prioritising membership welfare and promoting the interest of members among others,” she disclosed.
Her commitment and experience in countless years of working in diverse roles and as the general secretary of MUSIGA obviously has bequeath her certain skills such as eloquence, excellent writing, public speaking, lobbying and advocacy skills, to mention a few which makes her outstanding in her field of work.
Currently, Deborah also serves as general secretary of the Union of Informal Workers’ Associations (UNIWA) of TUC (Ghana), and the President of WESEDNET Africa.
By George Clifford Owusu