The National Communications Authority (NCA) has commenced a phased enforcement of regulations governing FM radio broadcasting in Ghana, targeting non-compliant stations.
The exercise follows a nationwide forensic audit of all FM broadcasting authorizations, which revealed several cases of non-compliance with regulations and conditions of broadcasting authorisations, Mr Samuel Nartey George, the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, said on Thursday on the Floor of Parliament.
Delivering a statement on the enforcement of regulations governing FM radio braodcasting in Ghana, the Minister said: “The audit showed over 600 active radio stations with frequencies, many of which were inactive, expired, or improperly renewed.”
“Mr Speaker, the audit also revealed over 60 cases of irregular renewals, rendering the renewals null and void due to the irregularities.
“We are duty-bound to govern them transparently and effectively. Our fight is not against free speech. It is against lawlessness, asset misappropriation, and regulatory defiance,” the Minister said.
The Minister directed the NCA to allow affected stations some additional time to correct the identified breaches within a defined time frame, adding that those who failed to do so shall have their authorisations formally revoked under the law.
He said all affected stations had been granted a 30-day window to comply and remedy all identified breaches.
“Mr Speaker, under Ghanaian law, any entity seeking to establish and operate an FM radio station must first obtain frequency authorisation from the NCA. Per regulation 54 of the Electronic Communication Regulations, 2011 (L.I.1991), the authorised entity is required to construct and operationalise the station within two years of receiving the authorisation.
“Mr Speaker, the NCA has identified four categories of non-compliant FM stations, including: stations operating with expired authorisations, stations issued notices of revocation for failure to establish operations within the required two-year period, stations that have not settled provisional authorisation fees and stations that have paid provisional authorisation fees but final authorisation is yet to be issued,” Mr George told Parliament.
The Minister assured that the government is committed to the firm, fair, and impartial enforcement of the laws governing FM broadcasting, adding no entity, regardless of status or political affiliation, was above the law.
The affected stations published by the NCA include 28 FM radio stations operating with expired authorisations; 14 FM stations issued notices of revocation for failure to establish operations within the required two-year period; 13 FM stations that have not settled provisional authorisation fees and seven FM stations that have paid provisional authorisation fees, but final authorisation is yet to be issued.
The affected stations have been given a 30-day ultimatum to comply with the regulations and remedy all identified breaches to avoid a permanent revocation of their authorisations.
GNA