Regarding the closure of four radio stations in Bawku, in the Upper East Region, the National Media Commission (NMC) has clarified the situation.
Claims that there was no prior notice before to the closure have been refuted by Executive Secretary George Sarpong, who noted that they had been engaged for the previous two years.
“I think that constitutes enough notice, as I have indicated to you that we have been engaging the stations and speaking publicly for the past two years,” he stated during an interview on Citi FM in Accra.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) announced in a statement on February 24, 2024, that Bawku FM, Source FM, Zahra FM, and Gumah FM will be shut down. This decision was made in response to recommendations from the Ministry of National Security and the Upper East Regional Security Council.
However, NCA has come under fire for not consulting the NMC—which is in charge of policing media content before taking such extreme measures.
In these situations, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has emphasized how crucial it is to protect press freedom and guarantee due process. But according to Mr. Sarpong, the MFWA’s reservations were made in good faith.
“On the comment raised by the MFWA, I think that there is a lesson in there for all of us going forward.
“My understanding of it is that in future any communication would require that the same question that you are asking about the internal working between NMC and NCA be part of that communication. The propriety of it we are ready to examine together and to see what is the best way forward going into the future,” he stated.
