Musicians Union of Ghana warns artists against glorifying fraud

The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has issued a warning to artists against making public statements that could be interpreted as encouraging or glorifying online fraud and cyber-related offenses. The union stated that while musicians have the right to express opinions on governance, corruption, and unemployment, these grievances do not justify normalizing criminal behavior or portraying suspected offenders as heroes.

The warning follows remarks made by musician Shatta Wale during ShattaFest in Accra on October 17, 2026. During his performance, Shatta Wale stated that while his wealth came from music, he has many friends involved in fraud and refused to report them, saying, “The country no good so if you go fraud, fraud.”

MUSIGA emphasized that such rhetoric can harm victims, damage Ghana’s international reputation, and threaten legitimate digital businesses. The union urged influential musicians to avoid social media posts or performances that promote internet fraud, money laundering, or romance scams, particularly given their impact on young audiences.