The Minority in Ghana's Parliament has urged the National Communications Authority to suspend its decision to revoke the authorization of 131 radio stations.
According to them, the exercise will only serve to worsen the precarious unemployment situation and add to the hardships Ghanaians are going through.
The National Communications Authority released a tall list of some radio stations the claim have were found to have committed various infractions pertaining to their authorisations to operate as contained in Section 13 of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), Act 775.
"Radio has become a foremost means of expression by large sections of our citizenry since the liberalization of the airwaves at the beginning of the current democratic dispensation. Entities operating within that space therefore ought to be acknowledged for their invaluable contributions to the growth of our democracy.
"The NCA does not also appear to have considered the deleterious impact this will have on jobs in the sector. We estimate that close to 5,000 people working in the affected stations will be rendered jobless should the current action persist.
"This will only serve to worsen the precarious unemployment situation and add to the hardships Ghanaians are going through," portions of the statement noted.
STATEMENT BY MINORITY ON HIGH-HANDED REGULATORY SANCTIONS AGAINST SELECTED MEDIA HOUSES BY THE NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY
The Minority in Parliament has learnt with grave concern, of an on-going exercise by the National Communications Authority (NCA) under which selected media houses have been subjected to very steep regulatory sanctions.
It is our understanding that, about 131 radio stations have either had their authorization revoked, which means they have been taken off air, or have been slapped with very draconian fines running into tens of millions of Ghana cedis in some instances. Other kinds of sanctions have been applied in a variety of cases.
We are deeply troubled by this development which has grave implications for press freedom and media pluralism.These actions by the NCA threaten to roll back the gains made so far in entrenching a vibrant media culture.
While we acknowledge the NCA’s right to regulate the communications sector in a manner that ensures compliance with appropriate regulations, we are alarmed by the sweeping and heavy-handed approach under the current exercise.
The situation where alleged breaches of regulations dating back several years are suddenly cited as basis for the near-summary closure of radio stations and humongous fines, poses a mortal danger to the expansion of the frontiers of free expression.
Radio has become a foremost means of expression by large sections of our citizenry since the liberalization of the airwaves at the beginning of the current democratic dispensation. Entities operating within that space therefore ought to be acknowledged for their invaluable contributions to the growth of our democracy.
Regulatory enforcement ought to be undertaken in a reasonable manner that factors in the fragilities inherent in the operations of many radio stations.
The current revocation and sanctions regime appears to be monetizing the right to free expression and could be construed as an effort to exact retribution particularly against stations that have traditionally been ideologically opposed to the current NPP administration.
We are at a loss as to how millions of Ghana cedis can be imposed as fines on radio stations, failing which their authorization will be revoked only to have them sold to other entities for GHS 30,000.
The NCA does not also appear to have considered the deleterious impact this will have on jobs in the sector. We estimate that close to 5,000 people working in the affected stations will be rendered jobless should the current action persist.
This will only serve to worsen the precarious unemployment situation and add to the hardships Ghanaians are going through.
In light of the foregoing, we urge the NCA to as a matter of urgency suspend the on-going exercise and use dialogue and more flexible means to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
This, we believe, will avert a situation where monetary value is placed on the right to free expression with its attendant difficulties.
Signed
Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini (MP)
Ranking Member, Communications Committee.
.
Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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@ Lion... what are talking about.... Who sold ECG... go and ask your Mahama jonky and he will tell you. I dont really think far, someone has to explain this press release to me. ls this really heads of NDC talking nonsensical. No wonder, their works even explains better...
Dem0ns... Uselesss human beings full of mischief .someone is owing the state and you say what...ndc ndc,you behavior sometimes amazes Satan !!!
Hahahahah, they have allocated all the frequencies to themselves so that in future, they will capture the airwaves and misbehave. You say we are book long,yooo we have shown you the need for critical thinking.When the Akonfems flew to Burkina,people lost their job wai. Motumbansa
this is ridiculous!!! if shops and warehouses are locked up as a result of the owners' inability to pay their taxes, does it not add up to the unemployment rate?? do you this minority speak for them? why speaking for the media houses?? is it because of Montie?? get serious!!!!
why should they suspend it? these have gone contrary to the law. I think the minority is thinking from the wrong side of their brains right? that is the reason why Ghana is not moving ahead in anything. NDC has never respected any law of the country that is the reason why they only loot and share
Haaaaaa Ndc ppl are crying like babies because of the shut down of montie Fm, now u see ur real size where is beeegya man ***barred word*** next time u will guys would follow due process
Members of the law making body of a democratic, supposedly enlightened country, asking a regulator to not apply the laws of a country???? My gosh, no wonder we continue to wallow in poverty and underdevelopment!
We will not sell ECG to those who killlled kwame Nkrumah for establishing it. Akufu Addo cannot destroy our future because of his presidency. Ecg is worth over 20 billion dollars!
It is only a forcking leader who will sell ECG
In a country when some MP's think this way, no wonder the country is a mess, a lawmaker telling a law enforcer to ignore the law. What a shame, only someone linked to the NDC will think that way. NO WONDER THEIR TIME IN OFFICE WAS A MESS.