Parliament House, Accra – June 12, 2025
The Minister for Communications and Digital Technology, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, has announced on the floor of Parliament that 64 defaulting radio stations have been granted a 30-day grace period to regularize their authorisations and settle outstanding fees. This directive follows an intervention by President John Dramani Mahama aimed at ensuring fairness and regulatory compliance.
The Minister explained that the grace period is part of a phased enforcement of broadcasting regulations by the National Communications Authority (NCA), which had identified significant breaches among several stations across the country. The violations include expired authorisations, failure to complete inspections, non-payment of provisional fees, and unlawful operations without final authorisations.
While the clemency was lauded by some MPs, it drew mixed reactions from across the House.
Hon. Charles Asuako Owiredu, MP for New Ebirim, questioned the impartiality of the enforcement, alleging that the process disproportionately targeted politically affiliated media houses.
On the other hand, Hon. Philip Fiifi Buckman, MP for Kwesimintsim, commended the President’s intervention, emphasizing that adherence to broadcasting rules is essential for maintaining order in the media landscape. “The airwaves ought to be sanitized,” he said.
MP for Kpandai, Hon. Matthew Nyindam, raised concerns about the duration of the clemency, arguing that the 30-day window may be insufficient. He also criticized the President’s involvement, stating that such intervention undermines the independence of the NCA.
The Minority Leader added a constitutional dimension to the debate, citing Article 162 of the 1992 Constitution which safeguards media freedoms. He contended that any enforcement measure that appears to infringe on these rights must be reassessed, arguing that the President’s amnesty only came in response to mounting public backlash.
Responding, Majority Leader dismissed claims of political bias and public pressure, stating that the regulations under enforcement were passed by the House during an NPP administration. He urged defaulting stations to comply fully and swiftly with the conditions set out by the NCA.
“The law must be respected, regardless of who is in power,” he stressed. “We, as Members of Parliament, must not be the ones obstructing ministers from executing laws we ourselves passed.”
As the 30-day window ticks down, all eyes are now on the affected stations to see whether they will act swiftly to regularize their status or face permanent revocation of their broadcast licenses.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
