GHAMRO Sues GBC Over Royalties

The Ghana Music Rights Association (GHAMRO) has sued the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) over royalties owed its members since 2012. GHAMRO decided to seek legal action against GBC after persistent futile efforts to get the defaulters to pay the royalties. GHAMRO is an organisation registered under the laws of Ghana and further authorised by law to basically license, collect and distribute royalties for and on behalf of musicians/authors, composers and producers/publishers of musical works. In its statement of claim, GHAMRO argued that the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation had defaulted in the payment of royalties for over five years in spite of promptings to do so. “The royalties-indebtedness of the defendant for the whole of 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, remains unpaid by the defendant,” GHAMRO stated in the suit. It further argued that GBC had failed to obtain licenses for the “use, communication and/or public performance of musical works to the public in spite of promptings.” GHAMRO is praying the court to declare that the state broadcaster’s failure to pay royalties for the use of musical works constitutes copyright infringement. Also, the music rights body is hoping that court compels GBC to pay five percent of revenue earned from the use, communication and/or performance of musical works to the public for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 via GTV, GTV24 and other affiliates. GHAMRO hopes to get a “perpetual injunction to restrain the defendant (GBC) from the unbridled use of musical works of members/ assigns of plaintiff organisation without authorisation.” The state broadcaster is being sued at a time that there is public outcry following the decision by Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo to grant a request to set up a special court to deal with TV license fee defaulters.

Source: Daily Guide