Traditional musician, Michael Adangba
Michael Adangba has expressed frustration with the Ghana Music Rights Organiation (GHAMRO) after he claims to have receive only GH¢300 as royalties for six months.
In an interview with Berla Mundi on TV3, the Ghanaian musician compared his earnings to that of artistes in Burkina Faso, pointing out the contrast in royalty payments.
Adangba said after working on a song for Burkinabe artiste Prince Kibori, he learned that Kibori received enough royalties to purchase a new motorcycle, while he, as the sound engineer, earned GH¢2,400.
This revelation led Adangba to investigate further, discovering that top artistes in Burkina Faso earn significantly more, with one artiste reportedly receiving 15 million CFA francs (approximately GH¢300,000) in just six months.
In contrast, Adangba received only GH¢300 from GHAMRO for the same period.
“In Burkina Faso, a top artiste told me, ‘This month, I got 15 million CFA francs.’ That’s like GH¢300,000… So, I began to go mad at these people (GHAMRO). I got GH¢300 in six months. So, I don’t know who is here [in Ghana] to fight for us,” he lamented.
Adangba also mentioned that other Ghanaian artistes, including a pastor he spoke to, received even less, with some earning as little as GH¢120.
“I even called somebody, one pastor, he is doing music and he said, ‘Oh, I got GH¢120. I said, ‘Thank God I got GH¢300. It’s frustrating,” he said.
His comments come amid growing calls for reforms in Ghana’s music royalty distribution system.
Various artistes, including Fancy Gadam and Ohemaa Mercy, and many others have consistently expressed dissatisfaction with GHAMRO over their royalty structure.
ID/EB
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Also watch Mikki Osei Berko’s interview on Talkertainment below:
