Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, says some 57 radio stations face the risk of having their frequency suspended for violating regulations.
The Minister says the suspension is intended to provide the media organizations an opportunity to rectify their regulatory breaches before resuming operations.
Addressing journalists on Monday, March 24, Samuel Nartey George stated that three out of the six radio stations that were recently suspended would have their frequencies restored in the coming days.
“The other six stations are a part of a total number of about 63 radio stations whose frequencies are not going to be revoked but are going to be suspended. We suspended the first six because we cannot have a situation where media houses would flout the regulation and say that because of press freedoms, the conditions for their licenses will not be met.
“I will be suspending the licenses, offering them the opportunity to remedy the anomaly in their cases. The six that were affected in the first phase, three of them have indicated to us and brought to the regulator the documentation required for the restoration of their frequencies and I will be authorising the restoration of their frequencies.”
Samuel George in February ordered the closure of seven radio stations across the country.
He stated that the decision was taken to enforce compliance with broadcasting regulations and national security requirements.
Announcing the directive in a Facebook post on Tuesday, 18th February, the Minister said, “Today, in two separate cases, I have directed the National Communications Authority Ghana to suspend and enforce a prohibition of broadcast on seven (7) radio stations in total.”
He explained that one station was shut down on national security grounds, while the remaining six were found to be operating without valid frequency authorisation.
The Minister added that the enforcement follows a recently conducted frequency audit.
