Bessa Simons
After three years in limbo, the long-awaited elections of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) appear set. This follows the exhibition of the voters register for the elections at all the union’s offices nationwide.
According to the Chairman of the National Elections Committee of the Union, Peter Marfo, the exhibition of the register took place over two weeks, and ended on Friday, April 22.
A source close to the union noted, “Now that the register has been exhibited, and we have received comments from around the country, we will finalise it and submit it to the Electoral Commission of Ghana, who will handle the actual elections for us.”
In all, over 700 members of MUSIGA have renewed their membership to qualify to vote in the elections. Both the national and regional elections will hold on the same day across the country.
For the national offices, eleven persons are contesting for the seven positions available, with three persons seeking the nod as president of the union.
The acting President, Bessa Simons, is contesting against the acting Greater Accra Chairman, Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, and the acting General Secretary, Deborah Freeman.
From all indications, the elections could take place in June, since all appears set for the elections barring any court injunction. As we speak, two members of the union are in court seeking an injunction against the elections, and also to bar Bessa Simons and Rev. Dr. Thomas Yawson from contesting this and any subsequent elections by the union.
This move to place an injunction against the elections came as a surprise to pundits, who figured that after three years of back and forth in court and with the intervention of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, members of the union would be eager to have the elections.