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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It is only a ***barred word*** leader who will sell ECG
What kind of ***barred word*** is this? If the broke the law they face the music. If not why do you make the laws? It is about time someone make the laws work in Ghana. Bravo Anokye.
You make laws for people to comply with minus you? You need to work in a developed country to learn sense. Over there, the law is no respecter of anybody. Shockingly, some of the stations are in debts of Millions of Ghana cedis! I accede to this decision taken by NCA. Let only law abiding media houses operate.
The world is moving faster and we have people who want to do business who does not understand the laws that govern that business . The good book says ANY ENTERPRISE IS ESTABLISHED BY WISE PLANNING , BECOME STRONG THROUGH COMMON SENSE AND PROFITS WONDERFULLY BY KEEPING ABREADST OF THE FACTS . We have in Africa more radio per person ratio that any African countries but we have unscrupulous businessmen and we must crack the whip when they go wrong . This is turning into ABSURDITY.
this is as seeleei as it is. we break the law and rationalize why we break the law. it does not make sense. it makes it even look funnier when you attach political parties to it. we should wise up and develop the country. i think too many persons are in parliament who really do not have to be there. we need to reduce the number of persons in parliament to 200. Creating jobs in this current situation is a waste of the country's funds.
Not to you as a person but on what you said; there's no sense at all in what you said. I expected something better from you per your experience and position. We need you guys to work for the progress of the nation and and not indulge in such FO0OLISH arguments. You should have left such statements to Okudzato, Suhuyini and their likes, at least they are known for such no sense talks.
This a very funny and silly analysis by the minority and it is signed by no other person than Alhaji A.B.A.Fuseni.The uncoordinated nature of his argument and the use of unnecessarily verbose sentences is just to get Radio Gold,Montie and the other NDC affiliated radio stations off the hook.How can Radio Gold operate in the nation for 17 good years without paying the licensing fee?All this while they get paid for the adverts and announcement people place at their stations.GRA and SSNNIT should check maybe they may have also defaulted on taxes and SSNIT contributions
Please advise them to pay part and negotiate.
So because of risk of unemployment the authorities should look endorse illegalities? Should t the employees rather be encouraged to hold their employers to task to get them to do the right thing to ensure their continued employment? I guess next time minority's will say armed robbers should not be jailed because it's constitutes loss of employment.
ABUAFU is it because your Radio Gold and the montie is being sanctioned? U have not paid ur license and u want to operate?