Give us back our GHAMRO - Ampadu, 100 other artistes demand
Ghana’s highlife legend, Nana Kwame Ampadu and 100 other musicians, composers and publishers have filed a lawsuit at the Human Rights Division of the High Court seeking an injunction order against their own royalties collection society, GHAMRO.
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The order seeks to restrain the Interim Board members including the interim executive made up of Carlos Sakyi, Amandzeba Nat Brew, K.K. Kabobo and Mark Okraku-Mantey from continuing to act in their various official positions.
The Nana Ampadu and 100 others lawsuit, signed by music heavyweights such as Amakye Dede, Daddy Lumba, Reggie Rockstone, Samini, Shatta Wale, Kwaw Kese, AB Crentsil, Castro, Mzbel, Tic Tac, Rex Omar, Grace Ashy and Thomas Yawson claims that according to the GHAMRO constitution, the tenure of office of the Interim Board has long expired and therefore they must quit.
Furthermore, the suit seeks an order of the court directing the Interim Board to produce audited accounts of its stewardship from the time they took office in May 2011 to date.
The Interim Board is also asking the court’s order “to set up a three-member Interim Management Board made up of composers, publishers and performers to take over the administration of the organisation and organise elections within six months to elect permanent board members in accordance with the GHAMRO constitution.”
The imbroglio between GHAMRO and its membership has been simmering over the last two years, during which according to the lawsuit, members have persistently asked the interim board to call a general meeting to discuss issues about their organisation.
The members stated in the suit that in August 2012, over 400 of its members made
formal requisition on the interim board to organise an emergency general meeting to discuss matters pertaining to concerns raised by members in respect of election of a substantive board to manage the affairs of GHAMRO but the request was declined by the interim board.
The members also claimed that the interim board was mandated to prepare audited accounts for the year ending 2012 and 2013 and same circulated to all members but it failed to do so despite persistent reminders.
Members said that the interim management are dissipating the funds of the organisation and paying themselves salaries between 2000 and 4000 Ghana Cedis though the regulations of the organisation forbids them from receiving salaraies.
Thus, Ampadu and 100 members claimed it has become obvious and manifestly clear that the interim board members headed by Carlos Sakyi are bent on flouting all the laws including the constitution of the organisation in their desperate attempt to perpetuate their stay in office inspite of the fact that their term in office has long lapsed.