Politicians using Africa Money - a Ghana copyright case?

Ghana’s controversial hip-life musician, Barima Sidney is readying himself to drag the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to court after the party had asked him to ‘go to hell’ following his call on politicians to stop using his ‘Africa Money’ hit track for electioneering campaigns. The NDC afterwards had continued to use the song saying that though it had no copyright on the track, the artiste had no right to stop the party from using it for electioneering campaigns. The NDC Deputy General Secretary, Baba Jamal, has maintained that the ‘Africa Money’ track has become public property and can therefore be used by any individual. “Once we buy the track without money, we can play it anywhere especially when we are not using it for commercial purposes,” he was quoted to have said an Accra-based radio station. The musician said that he had no problem with politicians playing the song in their private homes but what he was against was it being used a campaign tool on political platforms. The musician said he had not sold, rented, hired-out or leased the song or its copyright to any political party.

Whilst the prospect of a local decision on copyright in Ghana is great news for this blog, one cant help but feel that the politicians will seek to settle - why would they want to run the risk of ostracising supporters of the popular politician during election time?

He is on You Tube here: