Obour Under Fire!…As Executives Accuse Him of Lack of Transparency and Accountability

Bice Osei “Obour” Kuffour, youngest ever President of the umbrella body and most prominent association for Ghanaian musicians, the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), is under the axe following criticisms from his own executives and some members of the union.

Some very influential regional executives are accusing him of lack of transparency and accountability in his reign so far, especially regarding the just ended maiden edition of the Ghana Music Week which was organised on Monday March 4 to Sunday March 10 2013.

They have openly expressed their displeasure with the Obour’s administration citing negligence, lack of information flow and and accountability especially on issues relating to finances.

Mr George William Dickson, the Central Regional Chairman of MUSIGA, one of the disgruntled members disclosed to Akwasi Aboagye on Peace FM’s “Entertainment Review”, the ordeal some of the members and executives from the other regions who journeyed all the way to
Accra went through in their one week stay in the capital.

“In the initial stages, we were housed in a decent and comfortable hotel, but all of a sudden everything changed and we were moved from one hotel to another…we kept changing hotel rooms like the clothes on our back….we were not provided with quality meals and most executives from the other regions were not really involved in the festivities apart from the opening ceremony where cultural dance groups from all ten regions performed,” he lamented.

According to him, he is not the only person unhappy with how the MUSIGA President spearheaded the Ghana Music Week celebration especially when it came to the issue of regional representation and their involvement in final decision making process.

“I’m talking on behalf of all the regional executives and we were not happy at the treatment meted out to us. I have raised our concerns with a couple of media personnel (hoping that our plight will be highlighted) but till date nothing is seen to be done…and I have told Obour that even presently, most people are peeved,” he added.

The Central Regional Chairman of MUSIGA was unequivocal in his demands that all what they, as regional executives, want from their President, Obour, is a disclosure on how much the entire projected budget for Ghana Music Week was, how much sponsorship was raised and finally,
who owns the brand, “Ghana Music Week”.

When reached for his comments, the MUSIGA President stated that generally, the “Ghana Music Week”, being the first of such music festivals in the country, was well received by the general
public.

To him, everything went on course save for a few hitches and unforeseen circumstances. Reacting to the Central Regional Chairman’s concerns on the same platform, Obour said “Well he has raised very legitimate concerns how MUSIGA structure is. I can’t just say something which has not been discussed or confirmed”.

He continued; “MUSIGA has a National Executive Council (NEC) which is made up of the national executives who are part of the National Executive Committee together with all the Regional Chairmen and Secretaries and under that, there is the National Executive Committee.
Everything has to go through the process so until the finance department completes their report, I can’t state the budget and how much was raised from sponsorship because that is not my work”.

He asked that Mr Dickson should not be unduly castigated but be seen as one who perhaps has the interest of the union at heart.

“I know that Dickson is somebody who is very concerned about happenings within the Union. I know he has a positive mind for MUSIGA so people should not take his and other concerns in a bad light. It is all for best of the union that is why he speaking with so much passion,” Obour said.

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