President John Dramani Mahama has taken steps to protect media freedom in Ghana by directing the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation to work with the National Communications Authority (NCA) to immediately restore the broadcast operations of sixty-four (64) radio stations shut down by regulatory action.
In a statement issued by the Presidency, President Mahama emphasized the importance of balancing regulatory compliance with the protection of free speech and press freedom. He cautioned that requiring stations to go off-air while awaiting regularisation of their authorization could severely limit their ability to express and disseminate information freely.
“The President believes that regulatory compliance must take into account the need to uphold and enhance media freedom,” the statement read, adding that a shutdown while awaiting authorization regularisation “could limit the space for expressing such freedoms.”
The President has further instructed the Minister to collaborate with the NCA to agree on a reasonable timeframe within which the affected stations can complete the process of regularising their authorisation.
The directive is seen as a move to affirm the government’s commitment to media plurality and democratic governance.
The statement was signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Member of Parliament and Spokesperson to the President, who also serves as Minister for Government Communications.
