Entertainment
Okyeame Kwame details reasons GHAMRO is struggling
Revered Ghanaian musician, Okyeame Kwame has detailed reasons the Ghana Music Right Organisation,(GHAMRO) is currently struggling to live up to expectations.
Okyeame Kwame made this submission in a recent discussion on United Television (UTV).
According to him, the first reason for GHAMRO’s unending crippling is that the artistes who are key stakeholders do not care.
According to him, with his experience over the years, artistes have failed to show interest in the affairs of GHAMRO, and this he said has affected the institution’s usefulness.
He said their lack of interest does not contribute to idea sharing and constructive criticism for improved GHAMRO.
Additionally, he said GHAMRO is ineffective in its administrative approach.
This ineffectiveness, he said has caused them the ability to put in place the right mechanism for effective collection and distribution of royalties.
Consequently, Okyeame Kwame added that most of the media houses do not log and pay the appropriate royalties expected of them. This, according to him, makes it difficult for the media to be exonerated from the current challenges bedevilling GHAMRO.
He said in advanced societies the media and other users of music pay royalties to enhance the work of the Collective Management Organisations (CMOs).
According to him, the media has a huge responsibility to educate people about paying royalties, and if the same institution is not paying, it would be difficult for them to preach to others about the need to pay.
Finally, he noted that the Attorney General’s Department with legal oversight responsibility does not care about the plight of GHAMRO, adding that it is why the needed reforms have not taken place for a seamless running of affairs.
“Attorney General has what it takes to call the media houses to order by ensuring all of them follow the law and log, and at the same time be stringent on GHAMRO to ensure they are rightly executing their function,” Okyeame Kwame said.
According to him, “Should the CMO falter, their licence could be revoked by so doing GHAMRO will sit up.”
Against this backdrop, Okyeame Kwame urged all key stakeholders to play their useful roles to ensure an effective collection and distribution of royalties to the right owners.
Okyeame Kwame has recently released a classic song dubbed “Sika” featuring multiple award-winning musician, Kofi Kinaata.
The song, which is making waves is available on all streaming platforms.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Rev. I.K. Asuamah Thompson Memorial Methodist Church on Saturday hosted the second edition of the annual ‘Aseda’ musical concert, a vibrant celebration of gratitude led by the church’s Singing Band.
This year’s service also featured invited groups across the Methodist Church, whose harmonious performances added depth and colour to the worship experience.
Participating groups included the Bread of Life Singing Band, Mount Zion, Resurrection Methodist Band, Gethsemane, and St Mary’s Singing Band, among others. Their blended harmonies, rich choral interludes, and stirring renditions created an atmosphere of spirit-filled praise and collective thanksgiving.
The event brought together church members, choirs, and invited guests in a spirited celebration that blended music, scripture, and reflection, thereby reaffirming the church’s commitment to worship and communal thanksgiving.
Speaking at the celebration, the Head Pastor, Very Rev. Mrs Naana Esi Dannyame, said this year’s event focused on the theme ‘Fruit of the Lips’, drawn from Hebrews, 1 Thessalonians, and Psalm 103.
She explained that the event was designed to help the congregation deliberately reflect on God’s goodness. According to her, thanksgiving is not measured in material gifts but in the sincerity of one’s worship. “We gather to recount God’s goodness, His protection, forgiveness, mercy and preservation of life. Scripture calls us not to forget His benefits,” she said.
Very Rev. Dannyame commended the singing band and invited choir groups for leading the congregation in heartfelt worship, noting that the focus of the occasion was Christ, “who loved us and gave Himself for us.”
The President of the Christ Little Band of the church, Mr Emmanuel Addo, urged Christians to embrace gratitude as a core value in their daily walk with God.
He said the overarching theme, ‘Full of Values’, underscored the power and purpose of deliberate praise.
Mr Addo emphasised that believers were called to offer God a continual “sacrifice of praise” through Jesus Christ, describing worship as a living testimony of gratitude and devotion.
He also encouraged the congregation to let every melody and lyric magnify God and inspire unity, joy, and hope.
By Eugene Ampiaw
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UNICEF Ghana has partnered with the award-winning artist, Kuame Eugene, to release a new child-rights anthem titled “Let them shine.”
The song is aimed at commemorating World Children’s Day, which was marked on Thursday, November 20, and reinforced child rights advocacy.
The song’s release is particularly timely, coming at a critical period when children’s rights are increasingly under threat globally, making its message both urgent and essential.
The launch of “Let them shine” marks the 36th anniversary of Ghana’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Ghana is the first country in the world to ratify the convention, reaffirming the nation’s unwavering commitment to protecting every child.
Beyond the World Children’s Day celebration, “Let them shine” is designed to be a long-term advocacy tool. With Kuami Eugene’s strong influence and large youth following, the song aims to empower young people to understand and demand their rights, inspiring children and adolescents to become advocates for themselves, their peers, and their communities.
Osama Makawi, UNICEF Representative in Ghana, said: “It represents a strategic avenue to elevate child rights conversations across different platforms. Through music, a universal language, we can reach more people and mobilise communities to stand up for children.”
Kuami Eugene also shared his commitment to supporting children through his art, saying, “Lending my voice to World Children’s Day through music means a lot to me because every child in Ghana deserves the right to be felt, seen, heard, and valued.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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