Audio Attachment: Listen to Kweku Baako Jnr. on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' programme |
Seasoned journalist Kweku Baako Jnr. has pleaded with the National Communications Authority (NCA) to grant amnesty to the 131 radio stations that have been sanctioned by the Authority.
Commenting on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Mr. Baako was of a strong view that the penalty for the radio stations defaulting in renewal and payment of their license fees is outrageous.
He believes should the stations be made to pay up the charges which run into millions of Ghana cedis in the new currency and billions in the old, a lot of them will be "finished".
“I am from a very purely sentimental point of view appealing to the NCA to grant amnesty", he said adding that he feels "uncomfortable when the media is touched".
"I know this is strictly business but it is the kind of business within which free speech operates. It is a delicate balance. If you ask me, I will say let's give them amnesty, let’s start afresh".
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People Have To Be Punished At NCA
Also touching on the issue, the Central Regional Chairman of the NDC Allotey Jacobs asked the NCA to negotiate with the media stations to broker a deal to ensure the stations don't collapse due to the sanctions meted out to them.
He said “the radio stations are at fault. The NCA, itself, people will have to be punished . . . For so many years, it took one person to fight for private radio stations. It took Dr. Charles Wereko Brobbey. Yes! I mean history is there and you cannot dispute with that history that he fought for private radio stations and started with his own . . . So, we’ve come a long way”.
The NCA has sanctioned 131 radio stations across the country for committing several offences.
Out of the number, 34 stations have had their licenses revoked for operating illegally while 20 and 24 of them are ordered to pay a fine for failing to pay their renewal fees and submit documentation respectively.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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KWAKU BAAKO IS TALKING ***barred word***. GHANA DEMOCRACY IS THROWN TO DOGS, IF PEOPLE DONT PAY TAX, THE SHOULD BE MADE TO CONTINUE WORKING WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO WE HAVE IN GHANA AS LEADERS AND JOURNALIST AT ALL. GH PP
Ghanaians intentionally break the law they themselves helped to promulgate, all the time. Because, some people who have the VOICE will come to defend them and plead on their behalf. Any official who is committed to upholding the law in Ghana, is considered wicked, inconsiderate and arrogant. When things go haywire eventually, the same people will come round to blame the officials as weak, indecisive and not fit for their positions. Please, let the law work as expected and we all shall be the better for it. Thank You.
It's this very ***barred word*** coming from people like Kwaku Baako that has rendered our country as lawlessness. So, Kwaku Baako happens to like the media therefore they should be allowed to ignore the laws of the land. These special treatment to the selected few must stop and stop now. These media houses knew the rules of the game yet chose to ignore it because they're part of the high and mighty in the country. NCA has done a stellar of a job by either revoking or canceling the operating licence of these renegades radio operators.
Hypocrisy but you feel good when kayaye's and market woman shops are being lock ABI.you were all being fed by John mahama and his brother
NCA secretly invited some NPP media houses to rectify their indebtedness to the commission. This I know for sure.