Radio stations that were recently shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA) have been given a 30-day grace period to address any remaining regulatory violations, according to a statement made by Samuel Nartey George, Minister of Communications.
He emphasized that the stations will be shut down once more if they did not comply within the allotted period.
After President John Dramani Mahama intervened, the Ningo-Prampram MP said on Facebook:
“The President has asked that the National Communications Authority, Ghana, show clemency to the defaulting media houses. We have complied and issued a 30-day grace period. Let the facts, however, show that this action was in line with the law and not arbitrary. We would apply the law after the grace period.”
The impacted stations, which had been forced to stop operations due to numerous regulatory violations, now have a temporary respite thanks to the judgment.
The NCA states that the enforcement is being implemented gradually, starting with the stations included in the Frequency Audit Report. The following violations were found in the first phase:
Despite earlier directives in 2024 to stop transmitting, twenty-eight (28) FM stations are still in operation with expired authorizations. In contravention of Section 2(4) of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), these stations continue to broadcast.
Due to their failure to start operations within two years of being authorized, fourteen (14) FM stations received Notices of Revocation. Despite their subsequent requests for inspections, a number of errors have delayed the process; yet, these stations are still broadcasting in violation of Regulation 54.
Thirteen (13) FM stations with provisional authorizations do not have valid authorizations to operate because they have not paid the required payments in full. This again violates Act 775, Section 2(4).
Despite having paid provisional fees, seven (7) FM stations have not yet received final authorizations because they have not complied with Regulation 54’s requirements.
Source: newsthemegh.com