Rev. Sarpong McAbraham, the renowned Gospel musician, expressed that the royalties he received from international sources were significantly greater compared to what he received from Ghana. In an interview on Akoma FM, he revealed the meager amount he received from the Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO), which was not sufficient to support his children who were attending university at the time.
The royalties from GHAMRO seemed to be inadequate, as the Reverend Minister stated, "Does GHAMRO give royalties? I don't know, but I think they give once a year. I don't remember ever getting GH¢3000 a year. At the time, I had about 3 or 4 children in the university. GH¢3000 was not enough to take care of them. Don't make us talk about GHAMRO or royalties because, in Ghana, it doesn't work."
According to him, the royalties he received from other countries were 40 times larger than what he got from Ghana. He remarked, "The ones received from other countries are 40 times bigger than that of Ghana. It has never reached GH¢3000. With all these songs I'm talking about, with all the popularity you know that I have, I have never received GH¢3000 a year."
He further discussed an incident where someone from the United States assumed he must be making a substantial income due to the number of albums he had on the market. However, Rev. Sarpong McAbraham clarified that running his recording studio was a matter of divine grace and not financial abundance. He mentioned that things operate differently in Ghana compared to the US, where the person he spoke with relied on royalties to sustain himself with just one album.
When asked about possible solutions to address this situation, the veteran gospel musician was unsure. He explained that Ghana attempted to emulate the system employed abroad but encountered challenges, and he believed it was not a significant concern. His advice was to use God-given gifts to work and give praise, rather than solely relying on royalties and fighting for them, as this might lead to frustration and leave the battle unresolved upon one's passing.
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