Music maestro Kojo Antwi has been sworn into office as the new Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO).

Kojo, who contested the position unopposed in Wednesday’s GHAMRO elections, was sworn in to serve a two-year term, together with eight other board members.

About 3,700 members of GHAMRO cast their votes to elect new board members for the music rights body. Registered members of the organization convened in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale to elect persons who will steer GHAMRO from its troubled waters.

Wednesday’s elections were the first in GHAMRO’s 25-year history.

GHAMRO has for more than a year now been bedeviled by a series of controversies forcing the Human Rights Court in July 2014 to order the board led by Carlos Sakyi to step aside.

In all, 18 persons contested for various positions in GHAMRO, including Chairman, Deputy Chairman, and Board Members.

Some of the well-known figures who voted Wednesday included Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) president Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour), Ben Brako, Diana Hopeson, Randy Noonoo, and Nana Kwaku Duah (Tic Tac).

After the hotly contested elections, James Kwaku Tuffour beat Randy Noonoo George to become Deputy Chairman (Composer) while Ahmed Banda (Bandex) beat Dominic Anomah to the Deputy Chairman (Producer/Publisher) position.

Diana Hopeson, Zapp Mallet, Mary Ghansah, Nana Kwaku Duah (Tic Tac), Bessa Simons Henry, Augustina Addison were elected as Board Members (Composers).

They obtained more votes than Elvis Jackson Etuah, George Asafo-Adjei and Rev. Talented Arthur.

For the position of Board Member (Producer/Publisher), Benjamin Mensah (Big Ben), Seth Kwaku Amponsah (Easyway), Francis Yaw Manu (Teacher Redeemer) and Rev. Francis Boahene vied unopposed.

The new board will be formally inaugurated on February 27.

Credit: Myjoyonline.com