President Advices:Play More Local Music

President John Dramani Mahama has exalted Ghanaian radio and television stations to tame their taste for foreign music. He believes that playing foreign music at the expense of local music will be detrimental to the growth of the Ghanaian music industry. Kenyan musicians are protesting against local radio and television stations which they say play largely foreign music whilst ignoring locally produced music. Members of the Kenyan Musician Movement took to the streets in the country’s capital in Nairobi on Monday to air their displeasure at media outfits favouring West African and South African music. Nairobi News report Mitch Wyclif, a publicist for Beat Ya Keggah production, said: “We are demanding for 70% airplay from our local media as we see only Tanzania and Nigeria music being aired.” The Kenyan musicians’ sentiments have equally been shared by some Ghanaian musicians and pundits with some calling for a total ban on foreign music, especially from Nigerian. President Mahama speaking on the issue in an interview on Uniiq FM Wednesday noted that while foreign music provides a healthy competition for local music, radio and television stations must aim for a fair balance. “I think Ghanaians are taking to our music and a lot of our young people are taking to our music. There’s been an influx/invasion of Nigerian music. Competition is good and so when Nigerian music comes in, it kind of inspires and encourages our own artistes to also up their game and so I think that is good. We listen to a lot of Nigerian music and Ghanaian music too.” “We must aim for a fair balance in terms of foreign music and local music. Foreign music is good…I don’t we should overplay foreign at the expense of our local music,” he added. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Ernest Dela Aglanu (Twitter: @delaXdela / Instagram: citizendela)