The Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) saw its previous Board members relieved of their duties at the end of their four-year tenure of office.

However, an electoral committee, which was put together during a general meeting in October 2020 failed to organise elections on time.

This created a vacuum in succession and resulted in the need for that electoral committee to be dissolved.

Consequently, the Directors drew on Section 4.7 of the GHAMRO Constitution and appointed a five members Election Committee made up of Augustina Addison (Chairperson), Eric Afriyie, Haruna Sungumo Abdul-Aziz, Seth Kwaku Amponsah and Kwabena Donkor Jethro on Monday, April 26th, 2021 to provide a Board for the Society on or by the 20th of May 2022.

Legal turmoil ensued during this period. An interlocutory injunction was filed against the outfit to restrain them from conducting Board elections on February 9^th 2022. 

The lawyers of both sides were engaged in a lengthy and cumbersome back and forth tussle of motions until finally, the court dismissed the case in favour of GHAMRO, enabling them to hold elections for their society.

On the 15^th of May, 2022, the stage was set for the commencement of elections. There were ten centres in operation on that day: Members in Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Central, Volta and Northern Regions voted at the Centre for National Culture in their respective capitals.

Voters in Accra cast their ballots at CIBT, those in Western Region at Melody Hotel – Takoradi, those in Oti at Good Morning Hotel - Kpasa, and those in Upper East at Asongetaaba – Bolgatanga and those in Upper West at Royal Lodge Hotel – Wa.

Voting was conducted by the Electoral Commission of Ghana with the supervision of the Ghamro’s Election Committee.

The successful elections began at 8:30 AM and lasted till 3:00 PM at all centres.

The candidates for the elections were put into four groups as outlined in Section 4.2 of the GHAMRO Constitution and are as follows:

Composers

    Kwakye Kwabena Kabobo

    Kwame Adinkra

    Oheneba Kissi

    Diana Hopeson

    Kofi Abraham

    Rex Owusu Marfo

Publishers

   John Mensah Sarpong

   Benjamin Mensah

   Francis Omari Adofo

Performers

  Benny Wood Ruthy

  George Ofori Atta

  Elizabeth Tagoe

  Yaw Agyemang-Badu

Producers

Ernest Kwesi Ennin

Francis Boahene

When all was said and done and the votes cast were collated and counted, the results were as follows:

Composers

     Kwakye Kwabena Kabobo                             113 votes

     Kwame Adinkra                                               84 votes

     Oheneba Kissi                                                 116 votes

     Diana Hopeson                                               370 votes   Elected

     Kofi Abraham                                                  359 votes   Elected

     Rex Owusu Marfo                                           343 votes   Elected

Publishers

   John Mensah Sarpong                                       91 votes

   Benjamin Mensah                                              43 votes

   Francis Omare Adofo                                        332 votes – Elected

Performers

   Benny Wood Ruthy                                          117 votes

   George Ofori Atta                                              53 votes

   Elizabeth Tagoe                                                338 votes – Elected

   Yaw Agyemang-Badu                                       360 votes – Elected

Producers

  Ernest Kwesi Ennin                                             109 votes

  Francis Boahene                                                 349 votes – Elected

In collaboration with the Electoral Commission of Ghana, results were collated and declared at the 2022 GHAMR Board Elections as follows:

·       Diana Hopeson                                                   Composer

·       Kofi Abraham                                                      Composer

·       Rex Owusu Marfo                                               Composer

·       Francis Omare Adofo                               Publisher

·       Elizabeth Tagoe                                                   Performer

·       Yaw Agyemang-Badu                                          Performer

·       Francis Boahene                                                  Producer

The newly elected seven (7) member board were sworn into office by a High Court Judge, Her lordship Justice Hafisata Amaleboba (Mrs), on the 23 March 2022 at the GHAMRO Board Room for the commencement of their four (4) years term which will end in 2026.

Per article 4.2.2 of the Ghamro’s constitution, the board balloted to elect the leadership and four persons contested for the positions of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson respectively as follows:

Chairperson:       

·        Diana Hopeson got one vote (1)                                           

·        Rex Owusu Marfo (Rex Omar) got six votes (6) - Elected

Vice-Chairperson:

·       Francis Omare Adofo got five votes (5) - Elected

·       Francis Boahene got one vote (1) and one person abstained (1)                       

Therefore, for the records, Mr Rex Owusu Marfo (Rex Omar) and Francis Omari Adofo were duly elected as Chairman and Vice respectively.  

The GHAMRO Election Committee wishes to congratulate the membership, aspirants, the Ghana Police Service, and the National Electoral Commission for their turnout, courage, support and assistance in ensuring a successful peace-themed election.