LAUNCHING OF UPPER EAST ALL LADIES BAND

04-11-2010 Narration: Government and for that matter stakeholders in the music and entertainment industry, have been challenged to help fashion out very stringent censorship legislature that will protect and guard the youth against profanity on the airwaves. The Bolgatanga Municipal chief Executive, Epsona Ayamga, who made the call at the launch of the All-Ladies Band at Bolgatanga, said the move when enforced would instill sanity and decency in the entertainment industry. Correspondent Isaac Asare was at the launch and has filed this story for Radio Ghana.
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The launching ceremony dubbed ‘Music Project’, attracted a cross section of the public, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Departmental heads as well as representatives from the security agencies among others. The All ladies Music Project initiated by the Chief Executive Officer of the Women Awareness Training Centre, Mrs. Mary Bosombel, is to replace the Uppers International Band which was the first to be established in the Upper East Region. The Uppers Band which dates back to the late 70s was originated by the late A.A Ampofo, popularly known as ‘Kofi Charlie’ the then Upper East Regional Administrative Officer during the Col. I.K Acheampong’s regime. While the band was a mixture of men and women, the All-Ladies band is however, an all- female affair. Under the said project, women are encouraged to learn how to use and play musical instruments through training by experts. This will afford the young ladies the opportunity to exhibit and discover their inherent talents. The music project goes beyond the handling of the musical instruments since they would be taught lessons in ICT, Mathematics and English free of charge. The project also seeks to discourage the north-south migration typical of the teenage girls, who through poverty and deceit travel down south to engage in non existing jobs. The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Harry Epsona Ayamga, stressed the importance of music and dance describing it as an aspect of culture and socialization. He said the economic importance and music and dance in the Ghanaian society today cannot be over emphasized hence the need to handle it with care and decency. Mr. Epsona Ayamga encouraged the ladies to take advantage of the opportunity given them. He cautioned them against the production of profane music since it impacts negatively on the youth and also have the tendency of influencing negative public behaviours in society. The formation of the all-ladies band he noted is yet another testimony to the fact that women have the potential to compete with their men folks hence the need for adequate financial and logistical support. He expressed worry about certain unacceptable lyrics and scenes on the airwaves and challenged the government and other stakeholders in the music and entertainment industry to help rectify the situation. The Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Awareness Centre, Mrs. Mary Bosombel in a short statement said her outfit is into the training of skills acquisition in dressmaking hairdressing, masonry, batik tie and dye, carpentry and other vocational activities with school drop-outs being the targeted individuals. The establishment of the All-ladies band would create an employment opportunity for some disadvantage girls in the region and called on public assistance to see them through. Some hiplife artistes including Wuta, Mzbel and Reggie Zippy were there to grace the occasion.