GHAMRO hopeful of winning copyright case against telcos

The Chairman of Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), Rex Omar, has stated the organisation’s resolve to deal with companies that owe them royalties.

According to him, GHAMRO is still in court with three mobile telcos: MTN, Vodafone and Airtel Tigo for owing royalties and they are hopeful to win the case against them.

“GHAMRO sued these telecommunication giants for copyright infringement. Since the case is in court, I am hesitant to get into the specific claims against them. But GHAMRO is hopeful to emerge victorious in this legal tussle,” he noted.

In 2017 GHAMRO used the telcos for not paying for musicians’ intellectual properties they used in promoting their products.

They had complained about musical works which were used as caller tunes, music Apps,the performance of these works in public, downloads, among others.

Rex Omar who spoke at a press briefing at the Copyright Office on Thursday said they were doing all in their power to devise better ways of collecting and distributing royalties for music right owners.

He therefore enjoined all commercial music users including pubs, restaurants, hairdressing salons and barbering shops, supermarkets, shopping malls, media houses, among others to comply with directives from GHAMRO.

The Ghana Music Right Organisation (GHAMRO) was established under Section 49 of the Copyright Law, Act 690 of 2005 and regulated under Copyright Regulation, L.I. 1962 of 2010 to collect and distribute royalties accruing to authors and owners of copyright and neighbouring rights.

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By: Kwame Dadzie | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
Follow @Kwamedadziegh