I’ll never pay TV license fee – A Plus

Musician and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame A Plus has unreservedly kicked against the compulsory payment of TV licence saying ‘I will never pay’.

He has also threatened to organise a demonstration against the payment of TV licence next year.

“What is on GTV that anyone must go to jail for not paying to watch!!! First it was tow levy. Now it's this nonsense. I will never pay!!! 2018 I will organise a demonstration against tv license. I want to be the first to go to jail for not paying TV licence. Ghanaians are under pressure already. Bring this nonsense and jail them and see what will happen in 2020. Abi you remember the motor court? Nkwasias?m nkoaaa!!!! Go on.!!!,” A plus posted on Facebook.

His comment comes after Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo granted a request by state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), to establish a special court to deal with persons who fail to pay their TV licence fees.

The courts, located in the regions, will sit every Thursday with effect from 4 January 2018 to prosecute persons who fail to pay their TV licence.

A Plus in a series of Facebook posts argued that any “government which charge it's poor people import duty for TV sets and charge them annually for owning it is very wicked and clueless”.

He says he is ready to be the first Ghanaian to go to jail for nonpayment of TV licence.

“And those saying that TV licence is charged in Europe and America so it should be charged in Ghana, please in Europe too when you give birth government gives you and your child a home and gives you money monthly to take care of your baby. If everything that is done in Europe must be done in Ghana Why are you not advocating for Ghanaians to enjoy that benefit as well? Why do you always push for hardship and not the once that make life easy? Are we slaves?” he quizzed.

A plus further said: “In some countries people get the following benefits from government:

1. Child support: about $600 monthly per child birth until child is 18

2. Disability payment: Paid to anyone with slightest of permanent health condition. In fact bipolar persons can even use their condition to claim disability.

3. Welfare payment: People who are below certain income threshold

4. Employment Insurance (E.I) Bi-weekly salary paid to u by govt in situations when an employee looses his or her job.. it is paid till you find a new job

5. Govt also makes investment into account of every Canadian child till he turns 18: this is earmarked for future education needs Etc....

And they don't even pay TV licence. In Ghana they'll use the money on ak?nf?m and website and put the burden on the poor. We have all the gold. All the oil. All the timber. All the bauxite. We have natural gasses, cocoa etc.... And you want to charge the koko seller for owning a hunchback tv before you can run a simple tv station? If they don't pay you'll jail them? Ghanaians are also human beings. If you won't make our lives easy, don't jail us!!! Reduce government spending and use that money to run your GBC.”