Nana Kwame Ampadu, General Secretary of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has been suspended idefinitely from the union for violating a constitutional order of conflict of interest.

Highlife legend, Nana Ampadu who was elected last November as General Secretary together with C.K Morrison, Welfare Officer of the union are reported to have joined forces with a new collecting society, the Ghana Music Owners Rights Protection Society (GAMORPS), to collect royalty on behalf of people who own musical rights.

This action is however, in contravention of the MUSIGA law for which the two MUSIGA executives members have been suspended indefinitely. They were expected to return any documents in their possession to the offices of MUSIGA as at last Monday.

GAMORPS which was formed a couple of months ago has members made up of renowned musicians like Kojo Antwi, Carlos Sakyi, Abrantie Amakye Dede and Mark Okraku Mantey, a music producer. GAMORPS’s meetings are currently chaired by Nana Ampadu.

In a communiqué issued by MUSIGA on August 21, the two executives have violated a constitutional order of conflict of interest according to Article 20 Section A and B of the MUSIGA Constitution.

Section A of the constitution states that “No MUSIGA member, shall be permitted to hold membership in any union of musicians not affiliated with MUSIGA, or in any other organization, association of musicians or collecting society that has goals or engages in a pattern of conduct undermining or weakening the legitimate interest or the Musicians Union of Ghana, or any affiliated antiquated.”

Section B also states that “Any members violating the provision of this section shall be subject to expulsion.”

The communique contends that not only is Nana’s behaviour a violation of MUSIGA’s constitutional order, but also a betrayal of the association’s plans to come up with a similar project.

The communique stated that MUSIGA was handling issues about the winding up of the current collecting society and the formation of a new one for its members when the two executives started undermining the efforts.

The two were served a query letter to draw their attention to the effect of their action. A national executive meeting was also held to caution them but they went ahead to form a new collecting society and publicly declared their stand.

In a chat with Ms Dianah Hopeson, MUSIGA president, she said the two wouldn’t have been suspended if they were just ordinary members. “But as executives, they knew being in the forefront of the establishment of a new collecting body was against the MUSIGA laws. Nana is the General Secretary so he is more or less a mouth piece of MUSIGA and he knew of the collecting society we were putting in place. So for him to even be the leader of this other body grossly contravenes MUSIGA’s Constitution,” she said.
She said it took close to three months to come to the decision to suspend the two executives.

“We just didn’t get up last week to suspend them. When we got wind of what they were doing, we issued them with a query letter first on May 5 but they still went ahead with their plans. They knew the suspension was coming so it is a shame that they are now saying the move is political’, she said.

Asked if the two had adhered to the ultimatum to return all MUSIGA property in their possessions by Monday, August 25, Ms Hopeson said “ we are yet to hear from Nana Ampadu. CK Morrison, however, called to say he was returning the key to his office last Tuesday morning”, she added.

Nana Ampadu, who said he will react to the suspension through his lawyers wouldn’t comment on the issue when he was contacted by Graphic Showbiz.

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