It’s ‘blatant untruth’; not only pro-NDC stations were shut down – Ursula calls out Mahama

Former President John Mahama’s comments that the National Communication Authority (NCA) closed down only radio stations affiliated to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is not true, Minister of Communication, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has said.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, 14 October 2019, the minister said a total of 144 FM stations were identified for various infractions with their Authorisations from the 2017 FM Audit.

Fifty-seven (57) out of the 144 were closed down in 2018 and 2019 following the decisions of the Electronic Communications Tribunal (ECT).

She added that in accordance with the decisions of the ECT, thirty (30) out of the 57 stations have submitted fresh applications for FM Authorisations, of which fifteen (15) have been processed.

“The applications for the remaining fifteen (15) FM stations are still being processed and the outcomes will be communicated to them after they have gone through all the requisite processes, which include technical review, management review and Board approval.

“Twenty-seven (27) out of the 57 stations that were closed down have not submitted fresh applications for new FM Authorisations.

“It is factually incorrect and a blatant untruth to say, as some, including former President John Mahama and the Media Foundation for West Africa, who really ought to have known better, have sought to portray, that only opposition radio stations have been targeted for closure using the law.

“No such intention actuated this exercise and I am not sure we can claim that all the 144 stations in breach of the Electronic Communications Act were NDC or opposition radio stations. I know of two, XYZ and Radio Gold, and the latter had operated without renewing their authorisation for 16 years. They are certainly not untouchable or above the law as some would have us believe.”