Artistes Manager, Lawrence Nana Asiamah Hanson, popularly known as Bulldog has advised telecommunications companies across the country to pay royalties to musicians.
Telecommunication companies throughout the country one way or the other utilize works of artistes to market their products in the public domain.
The terms and agreement between Telcos and musicians on how they would be paid royalties is unclear which is in sharp contrast of what happens abroad.
Speaking to host Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM, Bulldog underscored the need for the Telcos’ to introduce a Data Levy Fee that would pay musicians upfront for marketing their songs.
According to him, the telecommunications company make huge revenues from the works of the musicians so couldn’t fathom why they will turn a blind eye to them.
“We didn’t have this digital world then when it started. I beg of them to introduce a data levy fee for the Telcos, even if it’s 3 billion annually. They should pay upfront to the musicians because it’s their platform that is carrying most of these stuffs to the pirates to do their work…” he said.
He added that, “If it’s not like that, we will be seasonal. We can’t work. They make a chunk of the money from that and it’s about time they put in the work…” he stressed.
Bulldog further urged musicians to unite and fight for their royalties from the telcos.
“We need to sensitize our musicians. It’s high time we start using our brains. That’s all we have. All the resources can deplete but the mind is what God gave us. That’s what the creative people use. There is a perception that musicians don’t pay tax it’s a huge lie…” he advised.