THE President of the Musicians union of Ghana (MUSIGA) Alhaji Sidiku Buari, has appealed to the International Federation of Musicians to assist third world countries to fight Piracy.

Speaking at the Presidium Meeting of the federation in New York, U.S.A. Alhaji Sidiku who is the Vice President of the Federation said some people are taking advantage of musicians in the third world to exploit them of their intellectual property.

Alhaji Sidiku said Piracy has over the years become a major problem for musicians and procedures and this has been made worse by the down loading of musical works on the internet and latest technology like IPOD and MP3 thereby impoverishing musicians and producers.

He said the Music industry offers a big source of employment for the youth of Africa and no effort should be spared to protest this all important source of livelihood.

Alhaji Sidiku suggested a means to codify musical compositions through which nobody can pirate without the knowledge of the owner of the intellectual property. He reiterated that the time has come for the educational authorities in the third world to make the study of music an important subject on the school curriculum.

Alhaji Sidiku recommended the use of Live Band Music not only to introduce professionalism into the music industry but also create jobs for as many unemployed youth as possible.

He extended an invitation to all the presidium members to join Ghanaians in celebrating their 50th independence anniversary to which they readily agreed.

The General Secretary of the International Federation of Musicians Benoit Machuel said contrary to what most people think, an overwhelming number of performers can hardly make ends meet.

They have no social status, and no benefit to claim between one engagement and the other. Any additional profit, from a work they may have done long ago is a benefit they value.

The president of the American and Canadian Federation of Musicians, Mr. Tom Lee described piracy as a universal problem that needs to be tackled saying efforts are being made to ratify the situation.

The President of the International Federation of Musicians and General Secretary of the British Musicians Union, Mr. John Smith said the reservation expressed by the majority of the presidium members will be taken into account by a distinct instrument.

He said computer net works and related technologies raise numerous questions to which few people today can provide an answer.