The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has announced that it is preparing to go to the polls in October 29 this year.

According to MUSIGA, members who are not literate in English are disqualified from filing nominations to contest for positions in the union.

About 150 delegates will converge at the Eastern regional capital, Koforidua, on October 29 to either retain current president Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour) or elect a new one.

They will also elect executives to steer the affairs of the most powerful musicians’ body in the country.

Ahead of the showdown, MUSIGA has, in a statement, spelt out the rules of engagement for persons interested in leading the body.

Other qualifications required, apart from being literate in the English language are that the individual must be of sound mind, must have no criminal record, and must be a paid up member of MUSIGA.

For those interested in the MUSIGA presidency “must have held an executive position. This means the person should have either been a national or regional executive member to be eligible,” the statement added.

The filing of nominations for the MUSIGA elections began on Monday, July 27 and ends on Friday, August 28 after which candidates will undergo vetting prior to the release of the final list of contestants.

Earlier, MUSIGA announced filing fees for the various positions up for grabs.

The filing fees are as follows:

President – GH¢3,000.00

1st Vice President – GH¢ 2,000.00

2nd Vice President – GH¢ 2,000.00

General Secretary – GH¢ 2,000.00

Treasurer – GH¢1,000.00

Welfare Officer – GH¢1,000.00

National Organiser – GH¢1,000.00

The statement, signed by Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, Director of Special Projects and Communications, noted that in accordance with Article 11 of the Union’s constitution, “an independent election committee shall be appointed by the National Executive Council (NEC) which shall be made up of 5 non-office holding musicians. The election committee is automatically dissolved once the election is over.”