Pay us our money- Musicians ask Ghana@50

A number of musicians who participated in the “Highlife to Hiplife” concerts held simultaneously in eight of Ghana's 10 regions on March 3, as part of the Ghana@50 Jubilee celebrations are up in arms.

Reason? They have not been paid their performance fees for more than six weeks after the show.

Last week, the Eastern Chairman of the Musician Union of Ghana, Justice Ofosu Okyere was at pains explaining how he has been talking to his members in Koforidua to exercise patience while the MUSIGA head office sorted out the payment.

One of the musicians into an Accra based radio station's entertainment review programme to complain about how they have been made to wait for their money which appeared never came.

According to the called, the non-payment of the money was creating some suspicions among the rank and file, many of whom believe that Ghana@50 Secretariat had paid MUSIGA but MUSIGA had failed to pay them.

However, President of MUSIGA, Alhaji Sidiku Buari confirmed that indeed the Ghana@50 Secretariat was yet to pay the musicians for their performances at the “Highlife to Hiplife” concerts.

Alhaji Buari said that the delay was unfortunate especially when those musicians who performed in the Accra and Kumasi 'Highlife to Hiplife' concerts were paid promptly. “Now it is beginning to look as if we have collected the money and refused to pay our members”.

He said that he had been regularly reminding the Chief Executive of the Ghana@50 Secretariat, Dr Charles Wereko Brobbey about their obligation but had been only receiving promises. “First we were told we will receive the money in two weeks but now those two weeks are over and we are still waiting”.

When contacted, the CEO of the Ghana@50 Secretariat was not available but the Events Manager, Ken Amankwaa said that indeed the Secretariat owed the musicians and was doing everything to have that money paid.

Source: Graphic Showbiz