It is factually incorrect to suggest deliberate closure of opposition radio stations – Owusu-Ekuful

Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says it is factually incorrect for former President, John Dramani Mahama to allege that the Ministry is deliberately closing down opposition radio stations.

According to the Sector Minister, no such intention actuated to the closure of the two radio stations belonging to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The Minister’s comments comes in the wake of the former President, John Dramani Mahama’s claim that the Communications Ministry deliberately shut down two opposition radio stations.

Addressing the media Monday morning, Communications Minister expressed disappointments at the outburst of the former President and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) for suggesting that the Ministry closed down the stations out of spite for the opposition.

“It is factually incorrect and a blatant untruth to say, as some,  including former President John Mahama and the Media Foundation for West Africa, who really ought to have known better, have sought to portray, that only opposition radio stations have been targeted for closure using the law. ” She noted

“No such intention actuated this exercise and I am not sure we can claim that all the 144 stations in breach of the Electronic Communications Act were NDC or opposition radio stations. I know of two, XYZ and Radio Gold, and the latter had operated without renewing their authorisation for 16 years. They are certainly not untouchable or above the law as some would have us believe, ” the Minister stressed.

She further explained that a total of 144 FM stations were identified for various infractions with their authorisations from the 2017 FM Audit.

And fifty-Seven (57) out of the 144 were closed down in 2018 and 2019 following the decisions of the Electronic Communications Tribunal (ECT).

She revealed in accordance with the decisions of the ECT, thirty (30) out of the 57 stations have submitted fresh applications for FM Authorisations, of which fifteen (15) have been processed.

The applications for the remaining fifteen (15) FM stations, according to the sector Minister are still being processed and the outcomes will be communicated after they have gone through all the technical review, management review and Board approval.