240
composers collect special royalties
‘Club Pleasure’ 2002 kicks off in Koforidua
240
composers collect special royalties
Accra (Greater Accra)
03 May 2002 - The Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA) has since last week paid
240 producers and composers various amounts due them from the special royalties
distribution exercise currently going on.
Mr Francis Anabu, the
accountant at the COSGA Office told Graphic Showbiz last Tuesday that his
outfit has not encountered any problem so far in the disbursement of ¢150
million which is being shared on the basis of the number of albums released by
composers and producers. This amount represents royalties collected within the
last four months.
Mr A.K. Yeboah, a
member of MUSIGA who is currently serving in the committee which vets
beneficiaries before payments are made, said he believes that the official list
bloated inspite of a special exercise undertaken recently which rid the list of
about 500 "ghost" names.
He attributed the
slow response of composers and producers to come forward to claim their share
to the possibility that there could still be a lot of false names on the
official register of MUSIGA.
He, however, said
that until payment closes in Kumasi where beneficiaries of the Northern sector
would be paid, no definite figure could be given to represent the true number
of composers and producers in the Country. He said the team effecting the
payment would move camp to Kumasi next week.
Last week, the Acting
Chief Executive of COSGA, Mr J.A. Larkai told Graphic Showbiz in an interview
that for several years users of musical works were not made to comply with the
logging system which computed the rate at which they use the works of various
composers.
He said this has
created a problem for the Society when it comes to the disbursement of
royalties. He said to circumvent this problem the Board had to sit in a series
of meetings with the executives of producers, composers and representatives of
MUSIGA before they could agree that the beneficiaries would be paid according
to the number of albums they have released.
This method, the
Executive Director said, was not ideal as the practice internationally is to
use the logging system. He said as part of the reorganisation of COSGA, new
logging forms have been designed and distributed to all radio stations in the
Country and they would be expected to log the music they use in their
programmes or have their licences to run musical programmes withdrawn.
He said with hotels, restaurants, spinners and other users of musical works, COSGA has concluded arrangements to have the executive of their associations collect the royalties on behalf of COSGA. The Executive Director said the Board has targeted one billion cedis to accrue from the collection of royalties by December.
GRi…/
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Koforidua (Eastern
Region) 03 May 2002- Koforidua appears to be a very good launch pad for Club
Pleasure programmes as once again, for the umpteenth time, the city was the
venue for this year’s first package last Saturday.
Such fun it was that
the large number of patrons who saw the show went home with smiles.
Nineteen-year-old Euphemia Aku Sika Ahedor, a student of Koforidua Polytechnic,
became the first regional beauty queen to book her place in the Club Pleasure
2002 Miss Ghana Beauty Pageant.
Euphemia made a
strong showing to beat seven other contestants to take the regional beauty
queen title as well as a ¢50,000 cash prize and sponsors’ products. Together
with Euphemia to represent the Eastern Region at the Miss Ghana 2002 final is
another student, 23-year-old Hamiza Sahadatu Sename, who placed second and took
away a cash prize of ¢450,000.
In the dance segment
of the three-tier Club Pleasure package, Ronald Parry, the two-time regional
dance champion was beaten to second place by female new entrant Hilda Eunice
Okai, who danced her way to a cash prize of ¢500,000 and an opportunity to
represent eastern Region at the National Dance Final. In all, 20 dancers
participated in the dance contest, which required each contestant to do highlife
and also dance to a “mystery song.”
Derrick Ibrahim, 19,
singing a song about HIV/AIDS, got the nod of the judges and became the
regional champion in the Hiplife Talent Championship. He also had ¢500,000 as
his cash prize. An evening of fun and entertainment, the regional package
comprised music, dance, beauty and a fashion segment which showcased the
creations of two young designers using exclusively Akosombo Textiles.
On stage as guest
artiste was Okomfo, whose popularity seems to have preceded him to Koforidua as
he was virtually mobbed by fans when he struck his popular Kwaadee song. Club
Pleasure 2002 is co-sponsored by Club Beer and Akosombo Textiles. Donors are
Graphic Showbiz, Seat of Masai, Labadi beach Hotel, Peace FM, Irokko, Buck
Press, Ghana Airways, GBC, Kapital Radio, Revlon and Radio Gold. It is
organised by Media Whizz Kids
GRi…/
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