The Ghana Association of Phonographic Industries has called on stakeholders to secure adequate long term financing for Ghana's music industry or risk its collapse.

Speaking at a workshop for players in the industry, Ebo Hawkson, a former minister for music and culture said, in the last decade, attention has been directed towards the role that can be played by the creative industries in national development. Some governments and other institutions, he said, have recognised economic potentials of the sector and have started to develop specific policies to promote them.

GAPI in turn with these developments is searching for a means to make the music industry an attractive prospect for financial investment, in its mission to fulfill its mandate of seeking economic interest of its members.

The purpose of the programme, he stressed, is to provide background information on the economic value of the music industry to enable policy makers to take supportive measures towards the long term financing of the sector.

He also added that the workshop is to produce a document to be used in the field as a discussion and policy reference guide by industry stakeholders, community leaders, policy makers, banks and other leading institutes.

He disclosed that an effort to support the financial status of the industry, GH¢ 68,000 (¢680 million) was provided by BUSAC and GAPI, but they still need further financial support because the outcome of the music industry will benefit all if more is invested into it.

Mr Hawkson said Ghana can contribute more to the country's GDP if effective strategies are set and the industry is taken seriously.

He disclosed that in 1992 when the recording industry changed from the production of vinyl discs to the use of cassettes from music projects, 90% was captured by piracy. He said the problem came down a bit when the office of the copyright administrator and COSGA introduced the anti-piracy "banderole" sticker, however the piracy of music still continues today.

As well as piracy, other problems in the industry in Ghana include lack of statistical data, the low level of awareness of intellectual property laws and lack of knowledge about the use of digital technology for music distribution.

Alhaji Sidiku Buari, the president of MUSIGA, in his address emphasised so much on the challenges facing the industry and stated piracy as a major problem. He said Government must do everything in its power to protect the industry by passing the legislative instrument, which is just lying in parliament.

Furthermore, he stressed that music is an important tool in education, information and at home. It is also a unique tool for world peace, it promotes the culture of people and is international in its appeal. "Music is a very big business all over the world, but lack of funding in Ghana has undermined human and institutional capacity to maximise the exploitation of the music industry, and has restricted exploration of the financial possibilities" he said.

Sidiku Buari added that, "The perception that music is just an art form, not an industry, must not be accepted because it hinders the consideration for serious investment."