The Director General of the National Communication Authority (NCA), Mr Joe Anokye, has said that the decision to shut down some radio stations in Ghana was not targeted at specific people.
He explained that it was to ensure compliance of regulations in the industry.
Mr Anokye said these when he was speaking at a sensitization workshop held for owners of the 133 radio stations that were shut down but have been given re-authorization.
The workshop was part of the conditions for the re-authorization.
“It is not the intention of the NCA to target any station or owners of stations. All we sort to do
was to stir the industry towards compliance.
“This is the reason for inviting all of you to this sensitization workshop . It is important to know that frequencies are national assets held in trust by the authority, assigned to specific users for a period subject to specific conditions.
“They are not assigned to users in perpetuity ,” he said.
The Governing Board of the NCA approved the grant of a total of One Hundred and Thirty Three (133) FM radio broadcasting authorisations which include new applications from entities whose FM radio stations were closed down after the 2017 FM Audit as well as existing stations which applied for renewal of their expired FM Radio broadcasting authorisations.
The approval was done at a Board meeting held on 11th October, 2021.
A statement issued by the NCA on Tuesday October 12 said this approval from the Board is subject to the applicants attending a sensitisation workshop on the terms and conditions of FM radio broadcasting authorisations.
“The workshop shall clarify the legal, regulatory, and technical requirements for the establishment and operation of an FM Radio Broadcasting station.
Provisional authorisations shall be issued to the successful applicants at the end of the workshop and frequencies shall be assigned to the applicants only upon the fulfilment of the conditions of the Provisional Authorisation.
“The general public is reminded that per Section 2(4) of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008, Act 775, a person shall not operate a broadcasting system or provide a broadcasting service without a frequency authorisation by the Authority.
“Offenders are liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than three thousand penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than five years or to both, as per Section 73 of Act 775 of 2008.”
