The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Thursday, questioned the sincerity of President John Mahama’s directive to restore 64 radio stations shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA), terming it “mere optics” in response to public backlash.
Speaking on the Floor of Parliament, Afenyo-Markin said the presidential intervention appeared politically motivated and reactionary, rather than a genuine effort to uphold media freedom or ensure regulatory accountability.
“Mr Speaker, these are things that are done for the optics when the political system sees that there is a backlash,” he said.
“It is a very rich statement, and we take this supposed clemency with a pinch of salt,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin raised concerns about the sequence of events, questioning why the significant reversal of action by the executive was not addressed internally before enforcement.
“Mr Speaker, we take this with a pinch of salt—that the NCA, together with the Ministry, has embarked on a certain path, and now Mr President, exercising his supervisory mandate, is telling them not to do it. Could this not have been discussed in-house before the decision, he asked.
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation to work with the National Communications Authority (NCA) to immediately restore the broadcast of 64 radio stations that were recently shut down due to regulatory issues.
The directive comes amid concerns that restricting radio operations while awaiting the regularisation of their authorisation could hinder media freedom.
The NCA had ordered the immediate suspension of operations by more than 60 FM broadcasting stations across the country, including prominent outlets such as Asaase Radio and Wontumi FM, over multiple regulatory breaches.
But President Mahama in a statement on Thursday June 12 emphasised the importance of balancing compliance with the protection of free speech, urging regulators to consider a more accommodating approach.
“The President believes regulatory compliance must take into account the need to uphold and enhance media freedom,” stated Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications.
To ensure a smooth transition, President Mahama instructed the Minister to collaborate with the NCA in determining a reasonable period for the affected stations to complete the necessary regularisation processes.
GNA