GHAMRO Scares Pirates Away

After GHAMRO jailed 6 pirates, Flex newspaper's check on the operating centers of the jailed pirates has revealed that most of the other pirates have fled into thin air.

The ever respected President of the Ghana Music Right Organization GHAMRO, Carlos Sakyi, declared that GHAMRO's strongest project for the year 2013 is an accelerated action year against music piracy dubbed, 'Operation Jail the Pirates.' True to his words, GHAMRO has succeeded in jailing 6 pirates convicted and charged for downloading and selling music without authorization from the right owners or permission from GHAMRO in two separate court cases.

To ascertain the effect of GHAMRO's actions - as to whether it is yielding results or not, Flex newspaper visited the areas � i.e. Achimota lorry station, Lapaz, Osu, La and 37 lorry stations where the arrested, prosecuted and jailed pirates used to operate and to our utter dismay, none were there; though we went unannounced.

When Flex newspaper asked some of the hawkers and vendors around concerning the whereabouts of the 'computer boys' as they call the pirates, they affirmed some people (GHAMRO Task Force) in the company of some policemen came to arrest the pirates so they (pirates) don't come to operate anymore.

Flex newspaper asked them why the 'computer boys' were arrested; most of them seemed ignorant of the criminality of the former's trade. �They just came and arrested them,� �when we asked the officers their (pirates) offence none explained anything to us,� �they are spoiling the 'computer boy's business.� Those were some of the opinions we sampled from the hawkers and vendors. We did the right thing by explaining to them that the operations of the 'computer boys' is a criminal act punishable by law, hence their arrest.

We have over the years cried foul over the adverse effect of piracy on our creative arts industry, especially, the music industry. GHAMRO has indeed proven beyond all reasonable doubts that given the required attention, advocacy and support, their 'Operation Jail the Pirates' will be a successful story for itself as a collection society, musicians, the music industry, and the entire creative arts industry of Ghana.

However, the fact that the pirates are no more at their known centers does not mean they have stopped operating or piracy is over. What it means is that they have either adopted other operating mediums or chosen obscured locations for their facinorous acts.

All of us in the mass media � print, radio, television, websites etc should contribute our quota in any way we can to make GHAMRO succeed in this regard. Flex newspaper will continue to help GHAMRO fight piracy in Ghana.

If you happen to have any hint on where some pirates operates, especially outside Greater Accra, you may please call 0265-068979 or email: [email protected] and we promise to reward you and keep your identity anon for your safety.

Source: Flex Newspaper