Okraku Mantey should help his collapsed record label than intruding in MUSIGA affairs- Musicians

• Posted on April 18, 2013April 18, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Following Mark Okraku Mantey’s recent allegations of mismanagement against the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), a group of musicians yesterday described his allegations as childish, unnecessary and a campaign been championed against MUSIGA and its President, Bice Osei Kuffour, aka Obour.

The musicians were of the view that Mark Okraku Mantey, who is not a musician nor member of MUSIGA, had no moral right to interfere in the affairs of the union by questioning the account statement of the union on the Ghana Music Week festival held recently.

They argued that  Mark Okraku Mantey, a board member of Ghana Music Right Organisation (GHAMRO) which has been accused by a section of the stakeholders of not being transparent to its members, has kept his loud mouth shut over all the issues raised against GHAMRO.

Recently a section of the stakeholders in the music industry accused GHAMRO of failing to disclose the total amount of money collected on their behalf by GHAMRO from various music users before distribution.

They alleged that the executives of GHAMRO, during distribution of royalties, failed to tell musicians the total amount of money that was collected and shared among musicians including the criteria used in sharing the money, as well as allowances and per diem for its board members.

They noted that instead of Okraku Mantey to question the credibility of GHAMRO of which he is a board member, he decided to invade the privacy of MUSIGA without knowing how its affairs are run.

They declared, “Who made Mark a judge over MUSIGA? He should give us a break and stop those unwarranted attacks on the union and its president and leave him alone to concentrate on his work.

“This Mark guy is just behaving as if he knows it all. This is not Mentor for which he will not be impressed with anything any of the guys do. We are tired of him. He is just that type of person, nothing makes him feel good and nothing from anybody makes him happy. He alone should reign, that is all he wants. He should give us a break”.

According to the musicians who spoke to BEATWAVES, even if Mark Okraku Mantey had personal scores to settle with MUSIGA and its President, Obour, the way he was going about it simply portrayed envy and hatred.

They stressed that Mark should eat a humble pie and learn to be responsible when speaking on radio as well as crosscheck his facts before making a presentation, adding that he has an agenda against the music union but will not succeed.

The musicians alleged that Mark Okraku Mantey has been moving from one radio station to the other, making all sorts of negative remarks about the Ghana Music Week festival, MUSIGA and its president. They however warned that this time around they are ready for him because they will not allow him to continue tarnishing the hard earned reputation of the union and its president.

They then advised Mark Okraku Mante to spare the good people of Ghana and the music industry his lamentations and channel his energies towards re-establishing his collapsed record label.

They called for drastic measures to be taken by the stakeholders to weed out the likes of Okraku Mantey, whose activities had brought the industry to a standstill, creating more problems for it.

By George Clifford Owusu, Daily Guide