President John Dramani Mahama has intervened in the matter of the suspension of the operational licences of some 64 radio stations, as earlier revealed by the National Communications Authority (NCA)
He has therefore instructed the Communications Ministry and the NCA to immediately reinstate the broadcasting operations of the affected radio stations.
These stations had previously been taken off air due to regulatory actions by the NCA.
The directive, issued on Thursday, June 12, 2025, underscores President Mahama’s belief that while regulatory adherence is crucial, it must not inadvertently stifle media freedom.
According to a statement released by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister in charge of Government Communications, the President is concerned that “requiring radio stations to shut down while awaiting the regularisation of their authorisation could limit the space for expressing such freedoms.”
President Mahama has therefore tasked the Communications Minister with collaborating closely with the NCA to establish a “reasonable timeframe” within which the affected stations can regularise their authorisation and comply with all necessary regulations.
This approach seeks to provide a pathway for the stations to rectify their compliance issues without an extended period of silence, which the President views as potentially detrimental to the vibrant media landscape.
The NCA officially shut down Asaase Radio and Wontumi FM following serious regulatory violations.
The two are part of 62 FM broadcasting stations across the country that NCA suspended over multiple regulatory breaches.
Impact on listeners
The shutdown of Asaase Radio and Wontumi FM has generated significant public reaction.
Both stations have large listener bases and strong political affiliations, particularly Wontumi FM, which is associated with key figures in the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Out of the 62 affected stations:
- 28 were found to be operating with expired authorisations.
- 14 received authorisation but failed to set up operations within two years, breaching regulatory timelines.
- 13 are operating under provisional authorisation, despite having paid the required fees.
- 7 stations paid provisional fees, but final authorisation is pending due to non-fulfilment of requirements under Regulation 54 of the Electronic Communications Regulations.
The NCA reiterated that all broadcasters must comply fully with licensing obligations to remain operational and assured the public that the authority will continue its monitoring and enforcement efforts.
