Veteran Ghanaian actor and brand influencer Mikki Osei Berko, popularly known as Dada Boat, has voiced his concerns about the challenges facing musicians in Ghana, particularly regarding the Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO).
Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb’s Elsie Lamar, Dada Boat criticized the current system, which he believes fails to adequately compensate artists for their work.
He highlighted the lack of proper tracking systems in radio stations, stating, “How many of these radio stations have trackers in their systems that track the music they play so they know how much to pay GHAMRO? They give GHAMRO some chicken change, and then GHAMRO also gives these artistes chicken nuggets.”
Dada Boat emphasized the need for stronger policies to ensure fair compensation for musicians.
“If there are policies that ensure people who play music on the radio, use their works on TV, in commercials, and other places duly pay what these musicians deserve, things will improve,” he said.
He also expressed frustration over the rampant piracy in the country, citing an example of musician Charles Amoah, who, despite releasing multiple hits, struggled financially while others profited from pirating his work.
“A guy met Charles Amoah and said, ‘Look at the building I’ve built, it’s all thanks to me selling your CDs,’ as if it was normal. Meanwhile, Charles himself didn’t have a one-bedroom apartment,” Dada Boat recounted.
The actor called for urgent action to address these issues, stressing that effective policies could transform the industry.
“If policy works in favor of this industry, a lot of things will change,” he asserted.
Watch the video below:
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