Media Foundation wants NMC action against threats on Judges

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has called on the National Media Commission (NMC) to act on alleged threats on the life of judges of the Supreme Court and High Court on an Accra-based radio station.

Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, said the NMC must affirm its authority and bring the radio station on which the threats were made to book.

“The NMC says it doesn’t have the constitutional powers to punish and so on, but it is our considered view that the NMC could really assert itself, even with the little constitutional powers it has,” said Mr Braimah.

During a political current affairs programme on local language radio station, Muntie FM, two panelists, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn reportedly made threats of harm and death against the judges.

While Alistair has come out to apologise and retract his comments, Godwin – who is a member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team – has denied making threatening comments on the judges.

Speaking on MultiTV/Joy FM news analysis programme, Newsfile, Saturday, Mr Briamah said the NMC can work with the airwaves regulator, National Communications Authority (NCA), to take the radio station off.

“Here we have a situation where a particular station has virtually crossed the red line and we would like to see what can be done,” he said.
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MFWA says it will submit the tape of the entire programme to the Commission to aid investigation and swift action.

The Foundation says it sees the Muntie FM case as a test case for the NMC.

The Foundation says since the beginning of a campaign language monitoring project in mid-April this year, Montie FM has recorded a total of 40 incidents of indecent expressions, the highest among all the stations being monitored.