It is barely one year today since  a local musician Emmanuel Batcho was elected and sworn into office as the first elected president of the United Konkomba Musicians and Associates-UKMA (Formerly of the North East Musicians  Association) with other executives.

But  has never tasted peace in the Association as the former Executives vowed never to allow him work.

Mr.Emmanuel Batcho,also one of the founders of Konkomba Music explains to TMMOTIONGH that, he was the first Konkomba with his brother Moses N.B to compose and record songs in Likpakpaln music in 1995, and due to the increasing number of Musicians,an Association was formed and first called Konkomba Musicians Union in the year 2003,he said he was not around when the first meeting was held in Konkomba Yam Market in Accra where the following Musicians attended:

Elijah Issahaka

Peter Balabon

Moses T.K Binneh

Martha Niweel

Emmanuel Bilido

and SP Stevo.

He said his colleague musician Moses N.B was appointed a Chairman of the Union and  ruled the Union from 2003 to 2014 (11 years)

and Resigned during a Funeral of one Nkomode in Kpassa in 2014 and an Interim Executives were appointed to oversee the Union and to organize Elections to get substantive leaders,

The ne of the Association was changed to North East Musicians Association (NEMA).

The interim executives appointed included:

Abraham Lawo-Chairman

Gabul Jacob-Secretary

K.K Rasta-Vice Chairman

and Seidu Ninkal-Treasurer.

These people, he said occupied the position for 4 good years before organizing an election in which he contested with four other contenders namely:

1.Elijah Issahaka who polled 202 votes

2.Gabul Jacob 129 votes

3.Kpasi Joshua 86 Votes

4.Emmanuel Batcho 216 Votes

Mr.Emmanuel won the elections with 216 votes representing 34.10%

The Election results was accepted and declared by the EC.

According to Mr.Emmanuel Batcho,the interim executives headed by Abraham Lawo delayed the handing over from December 8th to March 16 before before they handed over to him and his executives in a sitting in the Good Morning hotel in Kpassa.A ceremony was never organized for this handing over and the amount of Ghc600 was handed to them to man the Association.

He said during those 3 months of vacancy ,funerals were left and In a month time to came to accuse him of not organizing the people to perform funerals bereaved Musicians!

He said ever since he took the mantle as the leader of the group ,the interim executives never recognized him,the, legitimately elected president and other executives as the leaders of the Association, hence  their  continue to label falsehoods against him and his new executives.

Mr.Emmanuel Batcho’s threat came after he sighted a letter from the interim executives and the former Executives of the Association dated October 6,2020  summoning a meeting over Konkomba music without informing him or any of  his executives.

Emmanuel is seeing this as a plan to overthrow him hence the resolve to proceed to Court to seek redress.

EMMANUEL Batcho explained that the letter which is signed by Abraham Lawo who still identified himself as the interim Chairman after handing over to him on March 16,2020 with Moses T.K Binneh,the former Adviser and Moses N.B the former Chairman who ruled for 11 years without any opposition is an indication that his authority was undermined and he would seek explaining from the court of law.

Emmanuel Batcho also hints of reporting one Mr.Eric Magnanigaak,a representative of   the Ghana Music Right Organization (GHAMRO) to the Organization’s headquarters for leading the division against him.

He said Eric is the brain behind what is happening and he is ready to battle all of them out.

EMMANUEL BATCHO explained that, the former name,”North East Musicians Association ” was reviewed by his administration in  general meeting Organized in Chamba and Kpassa respectively in 2019 where 70% of the General Assembly members accepted the change of name to United Konkomba Musicians and Associates die to the fact that ,the former name contains North East which is now a name of a new Region in Ghana with the capital at Nalerigu where our members are far from .

Mr.Emmanuel said he can not understand why,the old executives still try to hold themselves as the executives and summoning meetings without his concern.

PRESIDENT Emmanuel Batch revealed that since he came to power, all the meetings he organized,interim executives and former Executives refused to attend and even call other musicians not to attend!.