Veteran highlife musician Rex Omar has publicly questioned whether Ghanaian singer Mr Drew has met the necessary conditions to receive music royalties after the latter complained of unpaid dues.
Speaking on Okay FM on October 14, 2026, Omar—who formerly chaired the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO)—stated that he had never heard of Mr Drew before the complaint surfaced. He added that the singer’s concerns had reignited debate over royalty disbursements in the country.
Mr Drew had earlier told GHOne TV that he had not received royalties from his music, citing years of work that yielded discouraging returns. In response, Omar asked whether the singer was registered with GHAMRO and had formally assigned his music rights to the organisation.
“It’s like buying a car without registering for insurance and then, when you’re involved in an accident, complaining that you have not received any insurance benefits,” Omar said, drawing a parallel between insurance and royalty registration.
He explained that musicians must complete the required paperwork to assign their rights to GHAMRO for the organisation to protect and administer payments. “Is he a member of GHAMRO? Has he gone to GHAMRO to fill out a form and sign over his music rights?” Omar asked. He warned that artists who have not completed the procedures should not expect payments from the organisation.
Omar concluded, “So, if you have not assigned your rights to GHAMRO, how do you expect the organisation to pay you royalties? If you are a musician and you do not do the right thing, do not expect anything from GHAMRO.”
