Deputy Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Biney, has stated that the shutting down of over 34 radio stations by the National Communications Authority (NCA) was needless, considering the numerous options available to them.
According to him, the move by the Authority will not lead to the payment of the various fines.
He said the Authority could have reached a consensus with owing companies to pay the monies over a period of time.
Speaking on Agoo TV’s ‘Yensempa’ show hosted by Bonohene Baffour Awuah, the NDC member said he could not fathom why the NCA had to wait for a long time for monies owed them to pile up to outrageous amounts before taking action.
He accused the NCA of not performing their duties but rather seeking political approval from governing parties on what to do.
According to the deputy communications director, the NCA had all the time in the world to notify affected companies of their growing debt but they decided to remain adamant and watch.
“It is amazing to know that the NCA had to wait till the amounts owed them reached such high figures. They are not performing their duties. They sit idle and wait for the government to tell them what to do. Shutting them down does not refund the monies owed the NCA,” he said.
Chief Biney said there had never been an instance where a debtor has been made to pay monies owed an institution in a day. According to him, even courts allow individuals or institutions to pay their debts over a period if they are brought before a court.
According to the NDC communicator, the move by the NCA will render many people jobless. He explained that could have been prevented if the NCA had performed its duties well.
NCA issued a statement announcing the revocation of the licences of 31 radio stations scattered across the country.
According to the Authority, they failed to renew their operation licenses among other offences. It also sanctioned 131 radio stations for various offences in line with section 13 of the Electronics Communications Act, 2009 (Act 775). Aside the revocation and sanctioning, the authority also fined others to the tune GH¢ 1.24 billion.
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