Stakeholders Meet Over Contribution Of Music Industry To GDP

The Musicians Union of Ghana, MUSIGA is spearheading a research to know the contribution of music to Ghana's GDP.

Ghana's music industry and the entire creative arts industry have never had any sort of data or research to quantify their contribution to the nation's GDP. This has made it extremely difficult for past governments to make any budgetary allocation to the industry. This has led to what some people believe to be a neglect of the industry.

This project, which was launched in Accra last December, witnessed an open Stakeholders Forum at the auditorium of the British Council in Accra on Tuesday January 15 th 2013.

The Forum, which was chaired by a former Tourism Minister, Nene Mike Gizo, aka, Nene Nagai Kassah, Chief of Agomeda, the acting Tourism Minister, Madam Akua Sena Dansua, renowned Ethnomusicologist, Prof Emeritus Nketiah, one time MUSIGA President Agya Koo Nimo, and Prof John Collins of the University of Ghana, among others.

In his statement, Bice Osei Kuffour, MUSIGA President, outlined some of the problems associated with the music industry, why the research was commissioned, and gave an overview of what the findings will signify.

He expressed his profound gratitude to the government of Ghana, Dr. Kofi Amoah of Citizen Kofi, and the World Bank for supporting this research project in particular, and MUSIGA.

A representative from KPMG, Evans Asare, announced that the research would cover a period of not more than three months.

Mr. Asare said the general findings would help answer some pertinent questions pertaining to the industry.

Some of the issues raised at the forum had to do with the pricing of music CDs, packaging, inadequate venues, lack of sponsorship for the sector, piracy and 'payola'.

There will be a similar forum in three months time, where KPMG will present a draft copy of the findings before making the final submission.