As quickly as the National Communication Authority (NCA) enforced a shutdown of 64 radio stations, including Asaase Radio, Happy FM, and Wontumi FM, yesterday, for failing to comply with sections of the Electronic Communications Regulations, President John Dramani Mahama called for the immediate restoration of broadcast their services.
In a directive to the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, President Mahama requested a collaboration between the ministry and the NCA to ensure the affected stations resume broadcasting without delay.
This was contained in a release by the Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, today, a few hours after the NCA shut down the stations.
The statement explained that President Mahama believes in the importance of balancing regulatory compliance with media freedom.
Hence, “requiring radio stations to shut down while awaiting the regularisation of their authorisation could limit the space for expressing such freedoms.”
The release stressed that media outlets play a vital role in democratic societies and should be supported in fulfilling that role.
To that end, the President has also directed the Minister to engage the NCA in setting “a reasonable timeframe within which the affected stations should regularise their authorisation”.
The affected stations include Happy FM, Asaase Radio, and Wontumi FM, all based in Accra.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 12, the NCA said the enforcement action targets stations that have failed to comply with key provisions of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 1991), specifically Regulations 54 and 56, as well as the terms and conditions attached to their broadcasting authorisations.
The crackdown followed a directive from the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, instructing the NCA to apply appropriate sanctions after a recent audit revealed widespread non-compliance within the FM broadcasting sector.
According to the NCA, the enforcement is being rolled out in phases, beginning with stations identified in the Frequency Audit Report. The infractions identified in the first phase include:
- Twenty-eight (28) FM stations operating with expired authorisations, despite prior orders issued in 2024 to cease broadcasting. These stations remain on air in violation of Section 2(4) of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775).
- Fourteen (14) FM stations that were issued Notices of Revocation for failing to commence operations within two years of receiving authorisation. Although they have since requested inspections, various lapses have stalled the process — yet these stations continue to broadcast, contravening Regulation 54.
- Thirteen (13) FM stations with Provisional Authorisations who have not settled the requisite fees in full, and therefore lack valid authorisations to operate. This again breaches Section 2(4) of Act 775.
- Seven (7) FM stations that have paid provisional fees but have not yet been issued final authorisations due to non-fulfilment of Regulation 54 requirements.
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, announced that the government has granted a 30-day grace period to radio stations recently shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA), giving them time to rectify regulatory breaches and resume operations.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday, June 12, Mr. George said the decision followed a directive from President John Mahama earlier in the day, instructing the ministry and the NCA to collaborate in restoring services to the affected media houses.
“Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago, His Excellency John Mahama directed that the Ministry work with the regulator at the NCA to allow all the affected radio stations some additional time to correct the identified breaches within a defined time frame,” the minister said.
He added that stations that fail to regularise their authorisations within the 30-day period would face formal revocation in accordance with existing regulations.
However, the Minister said as part of what the government calls a more compassionate and democratic approach, all fines that would have been imposed on the stations have been waived.
“This is not the same as the arbitrary revocations and hefty fines imposed under the previous administration,” he told the House.
“As a caring government, the Ministry has also been instructed to waive all the applicable fines.”
The NCA earlier yesterday enforced a shutdown of 64 radio stations, including Asaase Radio, Happy FM, and Wontumi FM, for failing to comply with sections of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 1991), particularly Regulations 54 and 56.
