President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Bessa Simons, has raised concern over shortage of guitar players in the country.

Speaking to Kwame Dadzie and Doreen Avio on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, he linked the situation to his “one musician, one musical instrument” campaign pledge, which he said has not yet been fulfilled but is still being pursued.

“When I said one musician, one musical instrument, it means it is very good if you learn how to play a musical instrument. It’s an added value. Because with music you need to have so many streams of income. We have a deal with Virtual Sounds that every musician can own an instrument so we can get you this facility that you can pay in instalments. You put a deposit down so you can learn,” he explained.

According to him, learning instruments is vital for musicians, particularly because of the scarcity of guitarists in Ghana.

“So the idea is if you don’t know how to play a guitar, [especially now] that we are running short of guitarists in Ghana, there is a lot of job for you out there. You can play in church, you can play in band, you can understand music better,” he said.

Simons urged musicians to register with MUSIGA, noting that the union has rolled out several initiatives to improve members’ welfare and working conditions.

Meanwhile, MUSIGA is set to launch Ghana’s first all-female music festival, SheRhythms, on Friday, 29th August 2025, ahead of the main event in December.

Founded in 1975, MUSIGA advocates for the rights of Ghanaian musicians, focusing on fair remuneration, welfare, education and intellectual property. The union also facilitates training, insurance and cultural outreach, while preserving the country’s musical heritage.

Watch interview HERE.