Kweku Baako Jnr is advocating for the reopening of some radio stations that have been closed down in the country.
The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper held the view that even though some laws were violated by these media houses, “I think it’s about time amnesty” is granted them.
Radio Gold and Radio XYZ, were shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA) last year for allegedly operating without valid authorization.
Speaking on World Press Freedom Day, Kweku Baako pleaded with the authorities in charge for leniency.
"In the face of the law, it’s obvious there were violations but the truth is that I’ve never been comfortable with the idea (closure). I think it’s about time that perhaps we grant some amnesty to these radio stations; I plead that they are given the same frequency that they had," he pleaded.
The renowned journalist disclosed that he is currently "part of an advocacy to reinstate radio XYZ and Radio Gold; I know it will be an unpopular advocacy but no fears”.
He was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show ‘Kokrokoo’.
Listen to him below
Ofosu-Ampofo's plea
It would be recalled that National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, during a recent meeting with President Akufo-Addo asked for pardon for radio stations that have been shut down.
“In our effort to ensure that we reach out to the majority of our countrymen and women, I am appealing to His Excellency [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo] to grant amnesty and get those radio stations that have been closed down to use their frequencies to reach out to the people and to reach out to them in various languages so that we will be able to reach out to every nook and cranny of this country,” Mr. Ofosu Ampofo told President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House during a meeting with political party leaders.
However, Kweku Baako thinks it was a wrong platform to use and that it should have been 'on the quiet'.
"He was wrong in choosing that platform to ask for that amnesty, and the President was sharp as a politician and a lawyer; his answer was appropriate because some of these things; even if you will do something like that, it should have been on the quiet," Kweku Baako said.
Radio stations shut down in Ghana
About fifty-seven broadcasting stations have been shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Communications regulator and radio-frequency licensing body in Ghana.
According to the Minister of Communications, Mrs. Ursula Owusu Ekuful, fifty-seven out of the 144 Frequency Modulation (FM) stations were cited for various infractions in an audit exercise by the NCA.
She said: "In accordance with the decisions of the Electronic Communication Tribunal (ECT), 30 out of the 57 stations have submitted fresh applications for FM authorisations, out of which 15 have been processed.
"The applications for the remaining 15 FM stations are still being processed and the outcomes will be communicated to them after they have gone through all the requisite processes, which include technical review, management review and board approval."
She revealed that 27 out of the stations that were closed down had not submitted fresh applications for new FM authorisations.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Amnesty? don''t they all? if we continue to behave like this and at the same time call on institutions to do their job, that is hypocrisy. in one hand we want strong institutions and not strong men, yet we keep begging for people and institutions who fall foul of the law to be pardoned, don't we all deserve amnesty when we fall foul of the law? why should some be prosecuted and others pardoned? they should receive amnesty because they are ndc radio stations? what about the others who don't have any politician to speak for them? did the ndc give amnesty to Oman Fm when they were being persecuted by agents of the government of the day?
The shut down of Radio Gold was merely political. I believe the plan was to deny NDC the means to air their campaign messages. But thank God the plan has failed, due to the power of social media.
Radio Gold, Muntie FM and Radio XYZ do not need the intervention of a pretenders like Kwaku Baako and his likes to be crying more than the bereaved to drum home support for the re-opening of the closed radio stations. We all heard the initial comments he and his cabals and mafias passed in the wake of the shutdown. As a comment from one SJ read, it is too late a day to consider pleas from various quarters to grant the so-called amnesty. Even the President who once upon a time was regarded as a media freedom advocate refused to grant the amnesty on flimsy excuses. Time Will Tell Soon
Kweku baako is gradually becoming the wiser person some of us have known him to be. Where are we going when we act with so much vindictiveness. Thank you Kweku. See what has happened to Ursula, her political career is almost ended with the collapse of her footbridge. "We have taken our nation back", the bridge and COVID 19 has exposed her, that real owner of Ghana is God.
Amnesty will not be fair to those who have been paying till date. If amnesty is granted Radio Gold then the rest like Peace FM who have been paying their fees till date should refuse to pay. Simple...
NDC should pay for them. So upon all the insults and the fu01ish things were doing there , they were not having valid documents to operate. No mercy for them to come out with their sharp teeth again.
Oh Uncle Kweku, it's too late to ask for amnesty for the stations. Have you seen your time is coming to an end?. You closed radio stations the mouthpiece of the people just because of your ***barred word*** vindictive nature?. May GOD forgive you all for such actions. Soon,you will start ranting when none has touched you. Long Live NDC.