Veteran highlife musician and Chairman of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board, Amandzeba, has questioned calls for special incentives for winners in the highlife categories, asking why such measures should be introduced.

Speaking at Joy FM’s 8th Showbiz Roundtable on March 14, 2026, he rejected proposals suggesting that artistes who win highlife awards at the TGMA should receive additional prize packages.

“I totally disagree. Why should you incentivise people to do what they have to do? Highlife is ours and has been with us. The problem we are facing currently is, there are not too many of us who do highlife so if we are in the minority does it mean we should go and whip people to come and do highlife? No. In actual fact every aspect of our career is a calling. Why would I be so stubbornly entrenched in what I do? Because where I come from and I know that the Ghanaian must be the proudest person in the whole world,” he said.

His remarks come amid ongoing conversations about how best to sustain and promote highlife as Ghana’s indigenous music genre.

Previously, highlife musician Dada Hafco proposed that elevating highlife to the ultimate award category at the TGMA could help preserve the genre.

Similarly, music producer Appietus has argued that introducing special prize packages for highlife winners could motivate more artistes to venture into the genre.

The 8th edition of the Showbiz Roundtable explored the theme ‘Preserving highlife as Ghana’s music heritage.’

Hosted by arts and culture journalist Kwame Dadzie, the programme aired on Joy 99.7 FM, Joy Prime, and Joy News as part of Ghana Month activities.

The discussion panel featured Professor John Collins, ethnomusicologist; Amandzeba; Beatmenace (Kofi Boachie-Ansah); Adina; and veteran producer Jonas Bibi Hammond.

Delivering the keynote address, the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Maame Efua Houadjeto, stressed the importance of maximising the value of highlife while safeguarding it for future generations.

Also present was UNESCO’s National Professional Officer for Culture, Carl Ampah, who spoke on the significance of highlife being recognised as part of Ghana’s intangible cultural heritage.

The event attracted a live audience of musicians, journalists, producers, executives, and other creative industry stakeholders, including Asah Nkansah, Dela Botri, Yaw Darling, Seven Xavier, and Tilly Akua Nipaa.

The Showbiz Roundtable, produced by Joy Entertainment, is part of the award-winning Showbiz A-Z programme, which won the 2025 GJA Entertainment Programme of the Year.