Minimum Wage for GH Musicians
The days when people engaged the services of musicians and paid them according to their own consideration is drawing to a close, because the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has come up with a minimum wage package for its members which it intends to see enforced throughout the country.
Though seen by music industry watchers as a long-overdue move, the MUSIGA 2nd Vice President, Amandzeba has indicated that whether it had taken MUSIGA too long to work out a minimum wage structure for its members or not, it is still necessary for it to officially state its position on fees for musicians. He said “the Musicians Union of Ghana constitution enjoins us to bargain for and seek the welfare of members. We no longer want people going as individuals and making lots of compromises which hurt us all in the end. Everybody is talking about our stance as an endeavour towards wealth creation.”
In MUSIGA's new minimum wage structure, an artiste performing in a one star hotel, at a club, funeral or party has to get a minimum of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis. Backing singers and instrumentalists performing in the same venues are to receive not less than Twenty Ghana Cedis and Twenty five Ghana Cedis each respectively. A star who performs at a five-star hotel, the National Theatre, International Conference Centre, Banquet Hall of the State House or at a venue that holds more than 1,000 persons is to be paid at least Eight Hundred Ghana Cedis. Backing singers are entitled to at least Forty Ghana Cedis each whilst instrumentalists should look forward to a minimum of Forty Five Ghana cedis each.