This is a bold step by the National Communications Authority (NCA) directing 64 radio stations in Ghana to halt their activities with immediate effect.
This is according to a decision made on Thursday, June 12, 2025, after the stations were observed to have been in gross violation of the broadcasting laws.
In a statement issued by the NCA, the affected stations were found not to have been adhering to some critical areas (Regulations 54 and 56) of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (LI 1991), which provide the guidelines within which radio stations are supposed to operate in Ghana.
This mass action is pursuant to a directive issued by the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George.
He also directed the NCA to clamp down on any violation of the laws relating to broadcasting to bring sanity and professionalism in the media arena.
The suspended stations include two popular stations: Asaase Radio, owned by Gabby Otchere-Darko, a relative of the former President Nana Akufo-Addo, and Wontumi FM, owned by outspoken businessman and politician Bernard Antwi Boasiako, commonly known as Chairman Wontumi.
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https://web.facebook.com/asaase99.5/posts/pfbid0hi3cdhFfa6xFTPYBGT5UDcPVZhZDruuiqjKnKwt3UKXaJ79cdUuhtHfT87XU5EWClThe NCA has noted that although radio stations are important agents of national development, they have to operate by the rules should they wish to retain their licenses.
The NCA said that the authorisation holders should observe the regulatory requirements and the license terms closely. “Non-compliance with these orders will have severe repercussions, such as revoking their right to air.”
The ruling has elicited a national debate on freedom of the media, fairness of regulation, and political interference. Some view it as a bold move to sanitize the airwaves whereas others feel that it may be misused to attack certain media houses.
The move by the NCA serves as a good reminder that the broadcast industry in Ghana is not above the law. With the changing face of media, the government seems bent on increasing regulation and making sure all broadcasters play by the same rulebook.
The complete list of the affected stations should be available soon as the NCA proceeds with implementation.
