The company who run to government to set up an entire court to jail Ghanaians for not paying Ghc 3 a month have not exactly been following the law themselves, it has emerged.
The Ghana Music Rights Organizaton (GHAMRO), who collect royalties from entities who use the music of Ghanaian artists for commercial purposes, have taken the state broadcaster to court for failing to pay royalties for four years straight.
GHAMRO has filed the suit in Accra and are seeking numerous reliefs from GBC, including an order stopping them from further using music whose rights are owned by GHAMRO without their say so.
GHAMRO alleges its members are owed royalties by the state broadcaster dating back all the way to 2012. They are seeking settling of those monies and an order for GBC to seek authorization from GHAMRO before any further use of their licenced material.
The suit comes in the wake of lobbying by GBC for special courts to be set up to prosecute Ghanaians who default on paying their tv licence fees. This piece of delicious irony confirms everything Ghanaians hate about the state broadcaster — which is that it is not a serious, professionally run company.
Sadly it is is a civil suit — it would have been nice if someone from GBC goes to jail for this.