Guinness World Record: Rex Omar Clarifies His Statement Of Canceling Afua Asantewaa’s Singathon
Rex Omar faced criticism for saying he and his outfit would stop Afua Asantewaa Aduonum’s Sing-A-Thon event.
Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) Chairman’s comments on GTV’s morning show sparked outrage, with many accusing him of hindering Asantewaa’s success. However, Omar clarified on Facebook that his intention was not to undermine her project but to ensure GHAMRO could manage royalties efficiently.
He has, however, come out to emphasise the importance of artistes taking proactive measures to protect their work and to highlight GHAMRO’s role in ensuring fair compensation for artistes. Here’s what he shared:
“Those of you insulting and making reckless comments out of ignorance in relation to my statement regarding Afua Asantewaa O Aduonum Guinness book of records project on GTV, Please permit me to educate you a bit.
1. My statement was not to target and destroy her project as I was one of the first people who posted and promoted her on my page.
2. What I’m advising her to do is to help her avoid any future issues after she has won or has become successful by setting the new record.
3. I decided to use that gtv platform to educate the numerous music users to always do the right thing to enable our Collective Management Organizations (CMO’s) to maximize collection s for the beneficiary owners of the work/properties.
5. One may ask, how will GHAMRO follow the money after the program?
My answer; What she intends to do will (a) will expose all the SONG she’ll sing globally in different territories (b) When that happens, some of the SONGS will attract more airplay, streaming, and many other usages, since she is a Ghanaian and all the SONGS she’s going sing are also Ghanaian compositions and GHAMRO is the only CMO for music in Ghana, it will be our responsibility to follow the money for its frightful owners as Afua is NOT the owner of any of the SONGS she is going to sing.
6. Afua and her team are the only people who know the names of SONGS and the artistes who’s work they’re going to USE, all she needs to do is to”
Recall that during a recent interview with Kafui Dey on Ghana Television, Rex Omar made a bold statement regarding the potential cancellation of Afua Asantewaa Aduonum’s Guinness World Record Sing-A-Thon. The chairman emphasized the need for Afua Asantewaa to comply with copyright laws and obtain the necessary permissions for the songs she plans to perform during the event.
Afua Asantewaa, a renowned Hi-Life singer, has been requested to submit copies of all the songs she intends to perform to GHAMRO to avoid any copyright infringement issues. Rex Omar, a prominent figure in the music industry, stressed the importance of respecting intellectual property rights and obtaining consent from the rightful owners.
GHAMRO, established under Section 49 of the Copyright Law (Act 690 of 2005), is responsible for collecting and distributing royalties on behalf of music copyright holders in Ghana. The organization operates as a non-profit entity, ensuring that all fees collected are fairly distributed among composers, authors, producers, and publishers based on the usage of their works. GHAMRO’s operations are governed by L.I. 1962 of 2010.
By adhering to copyright laws and obtaining the necessary permissions, Afua Asantewaa can ensure the smooth continuation of her Guinness World Record Sing-A-Thon while respecting the rights of the original creators of the songs she plans to perform.
