Asaase Radio has not applied for DTT license – Gabby Otchere-Darko

The Board Chairman of ABC Limited, owners of` Asaase Radio, Gabby Otchere-Darko, has disputed claims that his network has applied for a Digital Terrestrial Transmission(DTT) license.

“We have not applied for a DTT license,” he stated.

The license would have allowed the country’s newest media owners to operate a television channel or multiple ones.

The Ministry of Communications had earlier in the month directed the state-broadcaster,  Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, and a private operator, Crystal TV to shut down some of their channels to free up space for other uses.

The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and a Member of Parliament’s Communication Committee, Sam George, responded with claims that the government was freeing up space on the DTT platform for its cronies, including owners of  Asaase Radio, to set up television stations.

A claim, Mr. Otchere-Darko insisted was not true when he appeared on Citi TV’s Face2Face.

According to him, the last bit of space on the DTT platform was given out in 2017, and ABC limited was not a recipient.

“Let me put it on record that ABC limited, which owns Asaase Radio, has not put in any application for Digital Terrestrial Transmission license… I think the last bit of the lot was given away in the first quarter of 2017” he stressed.

Earlier, the Ministry of Communications had written to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and a private television station, Crystal TV to reduce their channels on the DTT from six to three.

The ministry explained its directive as a means of freeing the platform for security reasons and also to satisfy dozens of applications.

“We have no other means of doing so and so a responsible ministry in a responsible government has taken the only means available to it at this time to sit with those who have excess capacity on that multiplex to cede some of it for the security of our own state” Minister for Communication, Ursula Owusu said.

Questions have been raised on the mandate of the Minister to issue such directives.

Management of GBC fiercely opposed the directive and referred the matter to the National Communication Authority for direction.

But the Minister insists she is operating within the remit of her power.