Accra, Sept. 26, GNA - Alhaji Sidiku Buari, President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), has called for closer collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria to check the activities of pirates who he said were impoverishing the musicians and making the live lives of destitutes.

Alhaji Buari, who is also the Vice President of the International Federation of Musicians, was speaking at an awards ceremony in Lagos Nigeria, to climax activities marking the 21st anniversary of the Performing Musician Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN). A number of musicians and dignitaries were honoured at the ceremony for their contributions towards the growth of the music industry. Those honoured included Nigeria's First Lady Mrs Stella Obasanjo, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Rev Commander Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade and Rev. Sonny Okusun.

Alhaji Buari urged on the Musicians Unions of Ghana and Nigeria to work together as a team to enable them to fight for their members to enjoy the fruits of their labour. He bemoaned the fact that musicians in most African countries did not enjoy insurance, social security or pension.

He stressed the need for musicians in the two sister countries to perform live and stop miming so as to open up more opportunities for their members.

The President of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria Charles Oputa appealed to Nigerian government to lift taxes on musical instruments like the case in Ghana to enable musicians to buy their equipment at affordable prices and create more job opportunities. The Nigerian First Lady, on behalf of the award winners thanked the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria for the honour done them and said as a musician herself; she would do everything possible to uplift the image of musicians.