Rex Omar
Board Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), Rex Omar, has registered his displeasure with the government over what he describes as persistent neglect of Ghana’s Intellectual Property (IP) industry, insisting the country remains unprepared to unlock the full value of its creative economy.
In an interview with George Quaye, the veteran musician lamented that successive administrations have failed to treat the IP sector with the urgency it deserves, leaving Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) weakened and under strain.
“Ghana is still not ready,” he declared. “All our CMOs are struggling because the state has not taken its role seriously.”
Rex Omar revealed that GHAMRO continues to operate without a licence nearly a year after it was revoked in 2023 — despite his involvement with the organisation under both the previous NPP government and the current NDC administration.
“When the NPP was in power, I was at GHAMRO and it was the same situation. Now my government is in power, I’m still at GHAMRO, and for one year we still don’t have a licence,” he said. “I’ve engaged the Attorney General and others, but it’s simply not seen as a priority.”
According to him, the lack of a robust IP framework is a major roadblock to growth across the creative landscape, from music and film to design and patents. He stressed that without solid institutional backing, Ghana risks missing out on the global shift towards creativity-driven economies.