Don’t politicise closure of radio stations – Former President Kufuor warns

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has warned Ghanaians not to politicise the shutting down of some radio stations by the National Communication Authority (NCA) for defaulting in the renewal of their broadcasting authorization.

Six radio stations purported to be affiliated to the opposition National Democratic Congress have been shut down and it has generated some sort of controversy as to whether the move is an act of political victimization or genuine enforcement of the law.

While the NDC is accusing the government of conniving with the NCA to silence them, the government maintains the radio stations acted in breach of the NCA’s broadcasting act, hence the shutdown.

But the former president advised that tact and diplomacy be used to address the issue rather reducing it to political banter.

Responding to a question by Media General’s Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah at his residence during a visit by families of Ghana’s AFRC 1979 shootings, President Kufuor warned politicisation of the matter will not help.

He would rather wish aggrieved parties and the authorities engaged in “behind the scenes negotiations”

“Was the closure done on some law? If the closure was done on some law, then we have to be careful so we do not push politics too deeply into this matter”, he added.

About the AFRC 1979 shooting

Ghana’s AFRC headed by Flt Lieut. Jerry John Rawlings reportedly executed eight senior military officers on June 16 and June 26, 1979, for alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds.