A good number of music lovers, critics and reviewers who phoned the office of the ?Group Lifestyle Editor? of New Times Corporation from Monday have expressed outrage at the Ghana Music Awards and called for its cancellation from the entertainment calendar.

While some see it as a private man?s programme which is undeserving of the name ?Ghana,? others see it as an avenue for the organizers to make money while the poor but hardworking artistes they honour receive nothing but a piece of paper and a wooden plague. They are totally pissed-off by what they call the ?exploitation of artistes for personal gain?.

Still, others do not understand why a panel of judges comprising persons knowledgeable in music cannot be composed to carefully appraise the work of artiste for which reason, they have labeled the awards bogus.

William Asiedu of the ?The Mirror? who the Spectator interviewed also did not like the categorization of some of the nominations.

A pioneer music producer, Mr. Faisal Helwani, who granted an interview to offer his opinion of the awards was totally disgusted. He was surprised that although it was an event titled ?Ghana Music Awards? there was virtually nothing about traditional Ghanaian music, drumming and dancing much more anything like a bomaya, kpanlogo or borborbor group receiving an award.

?What is Ghanaian about it,? he asked ?What do you also say about John Teye Memorial boys who read, write and play music?? he asked. They have the potential to be star musicians and are demonstrating it at such an early stage. Instead of awarding them, we are awarding those who mime on stage and not live performers who are the real musicians. When shall we be serious a bit?

He also does not understand why some of those awarded have been honoured while instrumentalists from keyboardists, violinists to jazz performers are not even recognized.

Mr. Helwani blamed the Musicians Union Of Ghana (MUSIGA) and the National Commission on Culture (NCC) for allowing such sub-standard events.

?MUSIGA is itself artistically bankrupt and therefore the association cannot oversee anything presentable for Ghanaians to appreciate. We should also not forget that the Copyright Office is under the supervision of NCC where all the problems of copyright administration have emanated.?

?The arts and music industry has been plagued by improprieties and the total disregard for the promotion of Ghana music, art and culture, a situation which has been worsened by the kind of music awards that nobody can speak laudably of because it is flawed in many respects.?