By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, Aug. 7, GNA – Mr Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, a Presidential Aspirant of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), insists he is the candidate to turn around the fortunes of the association, therefore, delegates should give him the nod at the polls on Tuesday.
About 500 members of MUSIGA are expected to vote across the country tomorrow, nearly four years since its elections had been postponed due to administrative and legal tussle.
Speaking in Accra on Monday after wrapping up his 20-day campaign tour, across the country, the Roots Reggae Musician said MUSIGA has not experienced growth in the last 12 years, hence his desire to bring “positive change.”
Mr Appiah said he had played significant roles after joining the association at age 25, and it was time he led and re-directed the association.
“Over the years, I thought things would change but nothing is improving and there’s a lot of work to be done.
“There is no transparency and accountability, we need an experienced pilot to make things happen,” he stated.
According to him, the Acting President Mr Bessa Simons, is a good musician but not a good administrator, hence the need to change leadership.
He claims there was a succession plan in MUSIGA and “people think it is time to inherit the association, but the narrative has to change.”
Explaining why he took some legal actions against the association, Mr Appiah said he would not have gone to court in 2019 if MUSIGA had had an Arbitration and Disciplinary Committee,” indicating that his reasons for going to the court were legitimate.
He noted that the association needed to be “revived or liberated” as its resources had not been managed properly.
“I won’t be in bed with the government. MUSIGA will become the TUC of Musicians. What I want musicians to know is that the Musicians Union has been hijacked. It is not a political party, and we should not divide ourselves,” he said.
Mr Appiah’s priority as President is to acquire lands and build MUSIGA secretariats across the regions.
Other initiatives, he added, included the establishment of a Media Fund to promote the works of MUSIGA members in good standing.
“We’re going to the polls tomorrow and I want to see if the musicians want liberation. When you vote for me, the work starts; if they don’t give me the mandate, I will not cry over spilt milk, I’ll just enjoy my liberty,” he said.
The outspoken aspirant said he did not care if he was hated for defending the interest of MUSIGA, claiming that the current leadership did not care about the welfare of members.
He praised the media for all the support given throughout the period of his campaign, stressing that “if MUSIGA is organised and managed properly, Ghana will be paradise.”
GNA