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The ranking member of the Select Committee on Communications, Sam George, has expressed displeasure in the directives given to GBC by the Communications Ministry to close down three of its channels in the next sixty (60) days.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, questioned the authority of the ministry to give such directives.
“The GBC is not an agency under the Ministry of Communications. We would have loved to see a directive from the sector minister [Information Ministry]”, he emphasized.
He again asked if the act is not another example of state capture. He accused the ministry of trying to give away the GBC frequencies to the Asaase empire to create Asaase TV station. According to him, Asaase media are family members of the President.
“Anyone who is politically minded would understand the fact that the governing party may want spectrum to do their own transmission of results”, he stated.
The law maker also suggested that the dismissal of the former Director General of GBC, Mr Anoff, is due to his refusal to agree to the sale of GTV Govern to Adwempa TV.
He further challenged the National Media Commission to use this case to establish the fact that it is not ‘a toothless bull dog’ by calling the Communication Ministry to order.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has condemned the false allegations made against her and the ministry.
Addressing the allegations, the MP for Ablekuma, explained that her ministry in collaboration with the Information Ministry met with GBC and Crystal TV to consolidate their programs to the existing channels while freeing up capacity for other uses on the single multiplex currently available in Ghana.
Ursula Owusu added that, she’s not aware of any dissatisfaction by staff of GBC on the decision.
She revealed that the sole multiplex through which broadcasting can be transmitted in this country for now is full to capacity.
