The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) is to institute a pension scheme for retired members, Mr Bice Osei Kuffour, President of the Union, said in Accra on Wednesday.

“As part of our four-year development plan, we will be re-branding MUSIGA into a new union that would be more attractive and productive,” he said.

Mr Osei Kuffour, known in the showbiz industry as “Obour,” said this at a press conference to outline the new Executive Committees Four-Year Development Plan.

He said the scheme was being instituted to enable most musicians on retirement to live decently unlike the past when their colleagues on retirement lived and died in abject poverty.

Mr Osei Kuffuor said statistics showed that the union had about 3,700 members but only 800 are active. He pledged to undertake an intensive membership drive to increase membership by five per cent during his tenure of office from a massive re-registration exercise from October 2011.

The MUSIGA President said “As stipulated in the Union’s Constitution anyone who sings and plays any musical instrument in any manner qualifies to be a member. Therefore all such artists should register with the Union”.

He said efforts would be made for the government to collaborate and enact policies and programmes that would promote their activities and improve their living standards.

Mr Osei Kuffour pledged commitment of the new executive to resolve any acrimony, malpractices, in-fighting, tensions and other issues that would break their front and unite all members. He swore into office other members of the executive and they aree Mr Rex Omar, Mr Ben Brako, Nana Tuffour and Reverend Yawson.