We’ll shut down sanctioned stations – Ursula

The Ministry of communications has directed FM Stations sanctioned by the National Communications Authority (NCA) to cease operations immediately.

The NCA last week sanctioned a total of 131 FM authorization holders found to have breached section 13 of the Electronic Communications act (2009), Act 775.

The move followed the completion of a nationwide FM Spectrum Audit conducted this year to determine compliance of Authorisation Holders with their Authorisation conditions and to determine which FM stations were in operations or otherwise.

Also, the FM Spectrum audit forms part of a wider and on-going audit of all services regulated by the Authority including TV and ISP services.

Section 13 of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), Act 775 states among others that “the Authority may suspend or revoke a license or a frequency authorization where:

(a) The license or the authorization holder has failed to comply materially with any of the provisions of this Act, Regulations or the terms and conditions of its license or frequency authorization

(b) The licensee or the authorisation holder has failed to comply materially with a lawful direction of the Authority,(c) The licensee or the authorisation holder is in default of payment of a fee or other money, charged or imposed in furtherance of this Act, the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769) or Regulations

(d) The licensee ceases to (I) operate the public communications network, (ii) provide the public electronic communications service, or (iii) use the frequency band.”