You’ve 30 days or you’re out – Sam George warns radio stations after Mahama’s directive – Nsemkeka
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has announced that the government has granted a 30-day grace period to radio stations recently shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA), giving them time to rectify regulatory breaches and resume operations.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday, June 12, Mr. George said the decision followed a directive from President John Mahama earlier in the day, instructing the ministry and the NCA to collaborate in restoring services to the affected media houses.
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“Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago, His Excellency John Mahama directed that the Ministry work with the regulator at the NCA to allow all the affected radio stations some additional time to correct the identified breaches within a defined time frame,” the minister said.
He added that stations that fail to regularise their authorisations within the 30-day period would face formal revocation in accordance with existing regulations.
However, the Minister said as part of what the government calls a more compassionate and democratic approach, all fines that would have been imposed on the stations have been waived.
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“This is not the same as the arbitrary revocations and hefty fines imposed under the previous administration,” he told the House.
“As a caring government, the Ministry has also been instructed to waive all the applicable fines.”
The NCA on Thursday enforced a shutdown of 64 radio stations, including Asaase Radio, Happy FM, and Wontumi FM, for failing to comply with sections of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 1991), particularly Regulations 54 and 56.