GAPI propose copyright fund/bank to finance musical works

Wa, May 2, GNA – A music producer has said for the music industry to grow musicians must contribute towards the establishment of a Copyright Fund which could grow into a bank to provide long-term financing for players in the industry.

He said this had become necessary because some musicians and music producers were constrained by lack of finance to produce and market their works due to lack of collateral when seeking financial support from the banks.

Mr Yaw Osborn, a music producer, said musicians had to come out of the situation where their creative works had been reduced to mere entertainment and a source of pleasure for people while most of them remain paupers with very little protection from pirates.

Mr. Osborn, a member of Ghana Association of Phonographic Industry (GAPI), said this at a one-day workshop for Musicians and Producers in the Upper West Region at Wa.

Organized by GAPI with financial support from the BUSAC Fund, it was one of many of such workshops geared towards undertaking an advocacy action on developing a policy frame work on the need for access to long-term financing for all players in the industry.

The workshops, which are being organized throughout the country, also seek to advocate for developing and promoting the implementation of programmes and activities that would increase awareness of intellectual property rights

Mr. Osborn suggested that the government could contribute about 10 million Ghana cedis into the proposed fund with small interest on it while the musicians could use their intellectual property as collateral.

He said there are about 20,000 active players in the industry and appealed to the government to give a thought to the suggestion as jobs would be created.

GNA