We invested GH¢2m from gov't in researching music industry – Obour

Bice Osei Kuffour, the president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has disclosed that the two million Ghana cedis the government allocated to musicians was used to conduct research into the music industry.
Minister of Finance, Dr Kwabena Duffuor in his presentation of the 2012 budget on November 16, 2011 announced that government had set aside GH¢ 2 million to MUSIGA for the development of the creative arts industry.
Since the amount was allocated, the MUSIGA president has been hit with series of allegations of misappropriation.
Speaking on Personality Profile on Joy FM with Lexis Bill Thursday, the MUSIGA president said the money was used to conduct a comprehensive study of the Ghana music industry.
MUSIGA commenced the research to access the contribution of music to Ghana’s GDP in November 2012.
Bice Osei Kuffour, also known as Obour, said his major legacy will be the comprehensive study of the Ghana music industry: “We lobbied, we were able to get the funding of two million Ghana cedis from the government of Ghana.”
“We invested this funding into the research that government wanted us to do. As we sit now, KPMG has completed a comprehensive research on the entire music industry,” he added.
According to the MUSIGA president, people now can easily access the music industry, “banks who want to invest into the industry can now have a document which will serve as a blueprint and so they can assist music industry professionals.”
Government on the other hand, he noted, now knows how many people are employed in the industry, what are their returns with respect to taxation, and the contribution to Ghana’s economy. “This allows government to make an informed decision about the industry.”
“I can’t wait to see this research document printed under the leadership of Bice Osei Kuffour” he said joyously.
With the huge criticisms that have rocked his administration, Obour said when he hears “some of these criticisms, I just laugh because that is the best way to deal with them,” after all no matter one’s sacrifice, he or she will be criticized. He urged that “you just need to have a focus, decide on where you are headed and make sure you are heading there.”
He stressed that he is leading the musicians union with a strategy that will take Ghanaian musicians to the promised land.
Obour said apart from the establishment of a GH¢100,000 MUSIGA Ageing Fund for aging musicians which is the main aim of the 2014 MUSIGA Grand Ball scheduled to come off at the Banquet Hall, State House Friday night, he has instituted the Ghana Music Week “to provide jobs for musicians.”
Bice Osei Kuffour’s term as MUSIGA president will end in 2015. He was elected into office in 2011 for a four-year tearm. Obour beat Nana Tuffour Gyedu Blay Ambolley and Willie Roi at a MUSIGA congress in Tamale to become the youngest leader of the musicians’ union.
Asked if he will run for a second term, he said if his wife, whom he married in 2011 “says I should go for a second term, maybe I will consider it”.
myjoyonline.com