Skip to main content

Review Radio Gold, XYZ shut down - GJA to NCA

GJA President, Roland Affail Monney
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has urged the National Communications Authority (NCA), to immediately review the decision to close down two Accra-based radio stations.
According to the GJA, the NCA’s action leading to the shut down of Radio Gold 90.5 FM as well as Radio XYZ 93.1 FM, has the tendency to undermine media freedom in the country.

Officials from the regulatory agency on Thursday afternoon stormed the premises of Radio Gold and Radio XYZ –both pro-opposition National Democratic Congress stations- and ordered their immediate closure.

Ursula Owusu Heads the Communications Ministry which supervises the NCA
The action, according to the NCA, was an enforcement of the decision of the Electronic Communications Tribunal which includes closing down radio stations operating without valid authorisations.

Reacting to the development, the GJA in a statement issued Friday and signed by its President, Roland Affail Monney noted that the decision by the NCA suggests that only the two radio stations operate in the country without valid licenses.

“Without casting doubt on such possibility, it would be prudent for the NCA to, in the interest of transparency, and in order to elevate its decision above reproach, publish the authorization status of all broadcasting operators in the country,” the GJA demanded.

GJA added that “the action of the NCA has the tendency to undermine media freedom in Ghana as enshrined under Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution.”

It said the framers of the 1992 Constitution had very good reasons to grant such elaborate freedoms to the media, although with responsibility. “And nothing must be done to upstage the mindset of the constitutional framers.”

In the light of the reasons cited above, the GJA calls on the NCA to immediately review its decision urging the regulator to give the two defaulting companies a lifeline to renew their authorization and operate.

GIBA reacts
The Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association-GIBA has described the decision of the National Communication Authority to shut down Radio Gold and Radio XYZ, as too harsh.

President of the association, Andrew Danso Anninkora, said on Joy News’ TopStory Thursday that, the way out to resolve the impasse is “not the recitation of laws but dialogue.


 Source: Myjoyonline.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Thomas Barrack: Top Trump aide accused of working as foreign agent

  Billionaire and long-time Donald Trump ally Thomas J Barrack have been arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly acting as an agent of a foreign government. The 74-year-old investment firm founder served as a key adviser to the former US president's 2016 campaign and was considered a top fundraiser. Mr. Barrack is accused of illegally lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates during and after the campaign. A spokesman for Mr. Barrack said he planned to plead not guilty. He is the latest ex-Trump official to face federal charges. Mr. Barrack is charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and making multiple false statements to the FBI during a 2019 interview. Also charged are Matthew Grimes, 27 - who works for Mr. Barrack - and UAE citizen Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi, 43, according to the seven-page  indictment . Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark Lesko said the conduct alleged in the indictment was "nothing short of a betrayal" of US officials inclu...

Ejura killings: We’ll be open-minded in our report and recommendations – Justice Koomson

  After 12 days of public sitting, the three-member committee that investigated the Ejura disturbances has wrapped up its work. The committee set up by the president follows the killing of two people and the injuring of four others by soldiers during a protest against the killing of a social activist, Ibrahim Muhammed. The deceased, also known as Macho Kaaka, died on Monday, June 28, 2021, after he was attacked by a mob while returning home on his motorbike at Ejura. It is unclear for now the motive for his murder but some have linked it to his social activism role. Chairman of the committee, Justice George Kingsley Koomson told the media the committee was thorough in its work. “In all 22 witnesses appeared before us but three of them because of security reasons provided evidence in camera, also 117 videos, 555 pictures, and three documents were received by the committee as evidence and now we will sit, write our report together with recommendations and present it to the interior m...

Invest your profits back into farming - COCOBOD boss to Cocoa Farmers

Joseph Boahen Aidoo is Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has charged cocoa farmers to be business minded in operating their farms and to partake fully in the various programmes introduced by COCOBOD to ensure good farm yields and to increase profits. "Good farming practices, like pruning, the timely application of fertilizers and proper pests control are essential at all times," he said. Joseph Boahen Aidoo stated this while interacting with farmers in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions, on the first day of his week-long tour of cocoa farms across the county. He was accompanied by the Deputy Chief Executive of Operations at COCOBOD, Dr Emmanuel Opoku, as well, as Directors and Research Scientists from COCOBOD. The tour is aimed at assessing the level of farmer participation in the various farm productivity improvement programmes implemented by COCOBOD; it is also...