The government has granted a 30-day grace period to all radio stations recently shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA), allowing them to rectify regulatory breaches and resume operations.
The move was announced by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, during a parliamentary session yesterday.
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According to Mr. George, the decision followed a directive from President John Dramani Mahama earlier in the day, instructing the ministry and the NCA to work closely to restore the broadcasting rights of the affected media houses.
He noted that the suspension of sanctions formed part of a broader “compassionate and democratic approach” by the government, which includes a waiver of all applicable fines.
Delivering a statement to Parliament, the Minister said the NCA’s enforcement actions were based on a comprehensive nationwide forensic audit of FM radio broadcasting authorisations.
The audit revealed widespread non-compliance among over 600 active stations.
Mr. George disclosed that many of the frequencies were either inactive, expired, or had been renewed irregularly in breach of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I.1991), which governs the operation of FM broadcasting in Ghana.
He explained that the audit uncovered more than 60 cases of irregular renewals, which were null and void due to procedural breaches.
Additionally, he stated that under Ghanaian law, any entity seeking to establish and operate an FM station must obtain authorisation from the NCA and must commence operations within two years.
Stations that failed to meet this requirement were among those targeted during the enforcement phase.
Sam George said the NCA had categorised the affected stations based on the nature of their infractions
These included stations operating with expired authorisations, stations that failed to commence operations within the mandated two-year window after receiving authorisation, stations that had not paid provisional authorisation fees, and stations that had paid provisional fees but were yet to be granted final authorisation.
The Minister indicated that all affected stations would have their authorisations permanently revoked if they fail to comply with regulatory requirements by the end of the 30-day window.
He assured Parliament that the government remained committed to enforcing broadcasting laws fairly and without discrimination. He emphasised that no media organisation, regardless of its political alignment or public influence, was above the law.
The announcement of the grace period came just hours after President Mahama ordered the ministry to restore broadcasting for 64 FM radio stations whose operations were recently suspended.
The President’s intervention was issued amid mounting concerns about media freedom and accusations of government overreach. Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the President’s spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications, released a statement affirming that while regulatory enforcement is important, it must be balanced with the need to protect and promote press freedom. He said the President had instructed the ministry and the NCA to ensure the transition process is smooth and respectful of democratic values.
The enforcement by the NCA had impacted a diverse array of stations, including high-profile media houses such as Asaase Radio and Wontumi FM.
The NCA justified the suspensions as a necessary step in restoring order and compliance in the broadcast industry.
However, the President’s directive to suspend sanctions and allow the stations time to regularise their status has sparked a mixed reaction in Parliament.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin questioned the sincerity of the presidential order, calling it politically motivated and reactionary.
Speaking on the Floor of Parliament, he said the reversal appeared more concerned with optics than principle. He argued that if the presidency had genuine concerns about the NCA’s actions, it should have handled the issue internally before enforcement began.
Afenyo-Markin expressed scepticism about the nature of the clemency, saying, “It is a very rich statement, and we take this supposed clemency with a pinch of salt.”
He further queried why President Mahama had to intervene at such a late stage if the decision to close down the stations was taken under his supervision in the first place.
Despite the criticisms, Mr. George insisted that the government’s stance was not in conflict with media freedom, but was rather a firm commitment to transparency and legal accountability.
He maintained that enforcement was necessary to uphold order and protect the public interest, but the government was equally concerned with ensuring media houses were given a fair chance to correct their errors.
As the 30-day countdown begins, the onus now lies on the affected radio stations to take swift action to bring their operations in line with national broadcasting standards.
The Ministry and the NCA are expected to monitor compliance closely and enforce the law against any station that fails to meet the new deadline.
