Over 30 leaders of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) are gathering in Akosombo for a three-day workshop organized by the International Federation of Musicians (FIM).
FIM is an international organization of musicians’ unions based in Paris, France. The workshop will be facilitated by Thomas Dayan, the Deputy General Secretary of FIM, and Gunnel Maria Person Westin, a representative from the Swedish Musicians Union.
The workshop is part of FIM’s Union to Union capacity building program for unions in Africa. It is a three-year program that aims to strengthen the capacity of musicians’ unions in Africa to represent their members and advocate for their rights.
The topics to be discussed at the workshop include collective bargaining agreements, gender issues, and development roadmaps for unions.
Bessa Simons, the Acting President of MUSIGA, said that the workshop is an important opportunity for MUSIGA leaders to learn from their international counterparts and to develop strategies for strengthening the union.
“MUSIGA is focused on building the capacities of its leadership to ensure that they are ready for the transformative work required for it to play its rightful role in the music industry in Ghana,” said Simons.
Former MUSIGA President Alhaji Sidiku Buari was a vice president of FIM, while the immediate past president, Obour, was an executive member of FIM.
The workshop is the latest in a series of initiatives by MUSIGA to strengthen its capacity and to advocate for the rights of musicians in Ghana.
In recent years, MUSIGA has lobbied the government to improve the copyright laws in Ghana and to provide more support for musicians. The workshop is expected to conclude on Friday, July 8th.
