<<Print>>An Accra Fast Track High Court yesterday gave the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) the green light to collect the controversial TV licence fees.
That was after the court, presided over by Justice R. B. Batu, had dismissed an application for interlocutory injunction filed by lawyers for Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, a former chief executive officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), known in political circles as Tarzan. The ruling paves the way for domestic television users with one set to pay GH¢36 for a licence annually, instead of the old fee of 30Gp.
Those who use more than two TV sets will be required to pay GH¢60 every year. Out of the amount, GBC will take the largest share of 72%, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters’ Association (GIBA) 15%; the Media Development Fund 4%; the National Media Commission (NMC) 4%; Film will take 2% and for managing the collection, GBC will take an extra 2%, bringing its share to 74%. Dr. Wereko-Brobby had sued GBC, NMC, GIBA and the Attorney-General (AG) over the re-introduction of the TV licence fees.
But the trial judge in a ruling said GBC could go ahead with the collection of the fees because it has the legal backing to do so.
Justice Batu wondered why an injunction should be placed on the exercise when no monies had been collected.
He however, stated that the issue was with the sharing, particularly when there was no law backing that issue.
He said the court had given both the applicants and respondents seven days to file their addresses for the court to make a determination on the case.
The writ, filed on behalf of Dr Wereko-Brobby by Egbert Faibille Jnr. of Faibille & Faibille Law Firm, stated among others things, that GBC, “cannot share any moneys received by it with any other entity, whether private or state-owned as same ought to be deposited in its bank account.”
It said apart from the GBC, all the other defendants as well as the Film and the Media Development Fund had not been authorized as licensing authority/authorities for collecting TV licence fees nor are they entitled to be beneficiaries according to the existing law.