Reverend Stephen Wengam, Lead pastor of Cedar Mountain Chapel Assemblies of God Church, has taken a swipe at the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) over its recent decision to make churches also pay royalties for the music they use.
He said GHAMRO’s idea to implement this law will have a negative impact on gospel artistes who use their talent at events being organised mostly by churches.
Reverend Wengam added that the church is noted to be the organisation that supports gospel music and the artiste at large.
“It is wrong and we will fight with the last of our breath, musicians will go hungry,” Rev. Steve Wengam told Kasapa FM.
The former Chairman of Ghana Prison Service told sit in host on Kasapa Entertainment, Akwasi Nsiah on Kasapa 102.5Fm the churches will not be at a disadvantage should GHAMRO execute the royalty decision because they can revert to singing their old hymns than rather invite an artiste to their events.
He proposed GHAMRO device a better creative way of generating and collecting royalties for Ghanaian musicians than to resort the churches.
“We ‘ll go back to old hymns because we are not under compulsion. Some of the old hymns are more inspirational than the contemporary gospel songs because most musicians these days don’t spend time to pray and just come out with songs most of which are just noise and don’t inspire,” Rev. Wengam said.
However, Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation, Rex Owusu Marfo (Rex Omar), has stated that the organisation plans to make churches pay royalties for the music they use but it is unclear whether it will go ahead with their plans and mechanisms they have put in place for a successful collection of their royalties from the churches.
In a society where the proposition of churches paying tax has been strongly opposed, some have opined that GHAMRO would have to be strong in enforcing this law.
Anku Perpetual Ewoenam
