President of the Ghana Music Alliance, Seven Xavier, has described Ghana’s royalty collection regime as one of the weakest globally, citing widespread non-compliance by media houses and a lack of regulatory enforcement.
Speaking on The Chat on Channel One TV on Saturday, December 6, 2025, Seven explained that the country’s copyright environment has become so ineffective that many radio and television stations freely use music without paying creators.
“I will say we probably have one of the weakest,” he said.
“If a media house can decide not to pay for the music they play or use, then there is a problem.”
Seven argued that the persistent refusal of broadcasters to pay royalties shows a systemic failure that disadvantages musicians and weakens the entire creative economy.
He further proposed that the National Communications Authority (NCA) collaborate with the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) to enforce compliance through licensing conditions.
“Personally, I think there can be a collaboration with NCA where if you are paying for your yearly renewal and you have not paid GHAMRO, you are not going to get your license,” he suggested.
According to him, many stations rely heavily on music even before officially launching, often using songs to test their transmission signals without compensating rights holders.
“It is actually very sad to use people’s work without paying,” he stressed. “Many radio stations, when they are starting, use music throughout to test their transmission. Even when they start, they still use music. It is just like buying a car and stealing fuel to run it.”
Seven’s comments add to a growing national conversation about copyright enforcement, following repeated concerns from GHAMRO and musicians about lost revenue and the urgent need for legal reforms to the royalty collection system.
2026 World Cup: We’ll use diplomatic ties to boost Ghanaian support – Ablakwa
