Veteran Highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley has criticised the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), accusing it of failing to properly manage and distribute royalties to musicians in the country.
Speaking on Starr FM, Ambolley argued that the organisation has not lived up to its mandate of protecting the earnings of artistes whose works are widely used across commercial platforms.
He said the current system allows music to generate value for businesses while the creators receive little to nothing in return, describing it as a major gap in enforcement and accountability.
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“GHAMRO are jokers. Take GPRTU, for example; they play music in buses, and anytime music is used for commercial purposes, payment is required. But they play it for free. TV stations, radio stations, and hotels also play our music without paying. If they were paying, musicians would never go hungry. They play my music on air, yet I’m not paid royalties.
“I have received about two or three payments… Sometimes, musicians and composers call me and give me GH¢500 for the entire year,” he said.
Ambolley added that the consequences are visible in the lives of many musicians, who continue to struggle financially despite their work being played regularly across media and public spaces.
“When I returned from America, I realised that many musicians I know cannot even afford hospital bills when they fall sick, yet their music is played every day.
“They have been fighting me all the time. Abraham Adjetey and his team are all jokers,” Ambolley further stated.