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The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation has announced plans to suspend the operations of 57 radio stations across the country.
The sector Minister, Samuel Nartey George, indicated that these stations were found guilty of failing to comply with certain aspects of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), Act 775.
He explained in Parliament on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, that the aforementioned number is part of a total of 63 radio stations, six of which have already been suspended for violating regulations.
“The other six stations are a part of a total number of about 63 radio stations whose frequencies are not going to be revoked but are going to be suspended. We’ve suspended the first six. I will be coming to the House to brief the House fully on the outstanding ones.
“I have engaged the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association. I have engaged the Media Foundation for West Africa, and they are fully aligned with the processes that we are undertaking because, we cannot have a situation where media houses would flout the regulation and say that because of press freedom, the conditions for their licences will not be met. But like I said, I will not, like the previous administration did, be revoking licenses.
“There’s a difference between the two. I will be suspending the licenses, offering them the opportunity to remedy the anomaly in their cases, and in this case, there are huge fines to be paid. But once again, President Mahama has intervened and asked that we waive all those fines,” he added while briefing the press corps in Parliament subsequently.
According to him, these radio stations will be fined as part of the sanctions, with some stations potentially having to pay as much as GH¢4 million.
“In some of the instances, some of the fines are as much as GH¢4 million. And so this shows you that there is absolutely no malice in the action that we are taking. We’re waiving it.”
He noted that a specific period would be allocated to these radio stations to remedy their situation and provide the necessary documentation required for the restoration of their frequencies.
“So no one should equate this or mistake this for the high-handed irrationality and politically-minded actions that have happened in the past,” Mr. Nartey warned.
