Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has described as unfortunate the Minority in Parliament’s stance on the shutdown and hefty fines inflicted on some radio stations by the National Communications Authority (NCA).
The stations numbering 137 were said to have violated aspects of the Electronic Communications Act and failed to renew their frequency renewal and in some instances their authorisation fees.
This generated huge uproar among the general populace including the Minority who believed the move was politically motivated and could also lead to loss of jobs in the sector.
But speaking at a media briefing in Parliament on Tuesday, 3 October 2017, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful who was also the Ablekuma West Member of Parliament(MP), dismissed the claims saying they were unfortunate and ought to be withdrawn.
“We all have to be able to respect the laws and its applications dispassionately without fear or favour to all sections of society and I say let the chips fall where they may and there are no sacred cows when it comes to the agencies under the Ministry of Communication,” she stated.
She continued: “For our part, we can only insist on doing our work in accordance with the laws and rules and regulations that mandates the various agencies to operate. And for anyone to even suggest that there may be some motivation other than strict application of our laws I think is most unfortunate and I will chide the ranking member of the committee of communications for his comments that he made in that respect. I think that they were most unfortunate.
“He of all people together with members of the committee should have worked together with the NCA to ensure that the rules and regulations and the laws guiding their operations are fairly enforced. Unless they can point to some selective application of the law and I think they will be very hard pressed to do that, I think that the statement they made was most unfortunate and ought to be withdrawn.”
Touching on the Minority’s argument that the NCA’s sanction could cause job loss in the sector due to the hefty fines, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful quizzed “Why will anybody want to work in an organisation which is operating illegally?”
“Your very security of tenure is at risk because you stand a risk of suffering a fate like this. So as media persons it is incumbent on you to begin asking the elementary questions that you should ask of your media owners and managers. ‘Have we lived up to our own responsibilities under the law? We are expected to be good corporate citizens’…at the end of the day, nobody is happy that any job will be lost but that can also not be an argument for continuing to operate illegally or in violation of the law,” she added.
Source: today
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The NDC should live Npp that all...
I wonder howhow NDC MP's (minority in parliament) expect the NPP government to rule this nation. They want their illegal activities in their regime to continue , but it will not happen. Kudos minister
where do these ndc people think the government will get from to develop the country if these radio stations has failed to be good model advocates for responsible citizenship. These irresponsible radio stations are the ones who will tell the citizenry of government's inability to provide so so and so them. they will have the money to conduct investigation about judges and politicians regarding fraud and corruption but where is their side of the bidding? if we all behave this way how will the economy run. those advocating for clemency must also remember that there are a lot on the government to provide the people of Ghana and the wheel is money. those law abiding stations must be allowed to do genuine business and not the opposite. The annoying thing is that these stations charges for adverts as their operational incomes yet does not want to honor their responsibility to government. I don't think this is acceptable anywhere in the world. Radio and TV business is not a charity work anywhere in the world. God bless Ghana
I THINK THE GENTLE LADY IS DOING HER WORK AS ESPECTED. SHE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE PERVE TO DO HER WORK AS A MINISTER IN CHARGE OF THAT SECTOR.
If they think the sanction is too unfair,then they should call for the release of all armed robers and other criminals from jail and prosecution.
People are not ready to pay their taxes because others are not paying and are not being punished..... NCA must enforce the laws and close down those offending stations. We cannot say because of job losses people should be allowed to continue doing the wrong things without sanctions. I always refer to NDC as a criminal gang that mastered create, l00t and share with impunity. If they think NCA is wrong with the sanctions they can go to court.
What were the laws made for? Creating, luuting and sharing, where the NDC are experts?
"But speaking at a media briefing in Parliament on Tuesday, 3 October 2017, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful who was also the Ablekuma West Member of Parliament(MP), dismissed the claims saying they were unfortunate and ought to be withdrawn". Ohooo PEACE FM She is still an MP ebei.