Former Board Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), has lamented the nonexistence of music publishers in the country.

Rex Omar said this at the Showbiz Roundtable organised by Joy Entertainment at the Labadi Beach Hotel on Saturday, October 29, 2022.

"We do not have music publishers in Ghana," said Rex Owusu Marfo popularly known as Rex Omar.

As a keynote speaker, Mr Rex Owusu Marfo spoke on the topic, “Importance of royalties to the life of the musician”.

According to the highlife artiste, music publishing is a form of royalty, adding that music publishing is a very vital thing in the life of musicians, particularly songwriters. This, he explained is because it has to do with the exploitation of the song.

"They [publishers] are the people who will look for films so that your music can be used as synchronisation or soundtracks ... As long as your publisher is powerful all you need is one song well published.

"If you are good songwriter and you have a good publisher you don't necessarily have to sing. You can be sitting in Ghana, writing songs and you will have some top American artiste singing your songs and you are here quietly making your money," he said.

The thought-leadership forum, themed ‘Music Business and Tourism’, aims at delving deep into, and moving conversations from simply identifying some of the industry’s woes, to sharing ideas and insights that are critical to the growth and progress of the creative industry.

Meanwhile, Rex Omar has advised prospective musicians to assess the commercial viability of the music industry before venturing into it.