Faisal Helwani, ace music producer and CEO of Bibini Music Productions, has stated that the World Bank grant of $6 million given to Ghana’s music industry should be taken over by government to facilitate the launch of a Presidential initiative for the Ghana music industry.

He was speaking to ‘Spectator Arts’ in an interview last Monday and said the music industry is in a very depressed state and only a presidential initiative will uplift the sinking image of the industry that is bedeviled with improprieties and corruption.

According to Mr. Helwani, the $6million which was given to other African countries like Cameroun and Senegal is supposed to be used to facilitate the international distribution of local productions, comprising indigenous musical works.

He said, instead of the money going to government, rumours have it that a non-governmental organization (NGO) called Institute of Music Industry Development based in Accra, which has some university professors in their fold, will be disbursing the grant.

Mr. Helwani said the NGO has currently been organizing workshops on poverty alleviation for some of those in the industry.

He said, the appropriate thing to do is for government to take charge of the money for a presidential initiative and to buy musical instruments to change nightlife in the country and for musicians to come together and perform to earn their living.

Faisal said the presidential initiative is necessary so that government can oversee what ever is happening in the industry, to streamline it and bring sanity into it.

He added that the National Commission On Culture (NCC) should not be allowed to participate in this project because they have not worked in harmony with musicians and composers to promote music in Ghana.

The premier music producer said his Bibini Music Productions boasts of the most comprehensive of African-based repertoires including the works of Koo Nimo, Kwabena Okai, Kofi Sammy, Hedzolleh Sounds and others.

He said, it is time such indigenous music are used to launch Ghana’s music distribution in Europe and America.


The Spectator