International Evangelist supports TV licence collection

Dr Lawrence Tetteh, International Evangelist, at the weekend paid his yearly TV licence fee of GHc 600, with a challenge to Ghanaians to pay the money to make Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), an independent state broadcaster.

Owners of more than one TV set are to pay GHc 600 whilst one TV set attracts GHc 36 per 12 months.

“Ghanaians should owe it a duty to pay the money to guarantee the independence of GBC to secure the national interest and foster national integration and stability.

“As a development nation, content matters and it all has to do with gate-keeping devoid of sectional or any parochial interest,” Dr Tetteh said in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra.

Dr Tetteh also the Founder and President of the UK based World Miracle Outreach said the growing wage bill and other financial challenges facing government, makes the TV licence deal a very wise option.

He said the content of some broadcasting stations, bothering on the use of vulgar language, poking fun at serious national issues, unsavoury use of words against national leaders, organisations and certain ethnic groups, make it imperative for Ghana to get a national and international voice like GBC to tell the story better in the bid to educate, inform and entertain the citizenry.

He said GBC also has a number of social responsibilities to Ghana including preaching national unity, educating citizens on their civic responsibilities, carrying out campaigns against the Ebola Viral Disease, cholera and other communicable diseases, hence the need for the fee.

“Am also informed that the money is not going to GBC alone but other stakeholders in broadcasting as well as in support of a media fund.”

In another development Dr Tetteh was part of road safety campaign launched by GBC the intersection leading to the media house at Kanda where a number of road crashes have been witnessed leading to fatalities.

The Ladies Association of GBC facilitated the process by providing red flags to be placed at the junction to be used by pedestrians to cross the busy road.

Dr Tetteh said driving is a privilege and not a responsibility hence the need for drivers to drive with care and with a sense of responsibility.

He cautioned against driving under the influence of alcohol and called for attitudinal change on the roads.

Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), Director General of GBC expressed the need for National Road Safety Commission to place signs at vantage points closer to the corporation’s junction of about 100 metres away warning pedestrians and drivers about the dangers at the intersection.

Making a point for the TV licence fee, he said if GBC is able to collect enough money it hopes to construct an overpass at the junction for pedestrians.

Very Reverend Helena-Sarkodie, Head, Religious Broadcasts Department of GBC said many traditional rites have been performed at the intercession with the hope of exorcising the gods causing the road crashes at the spot.

She said the fatalities are not the works of supernatural beings but bad attitudes on the road and called for change.

Group Corporal Godfred Quartey of the Police Motor and Traffic Department lauded GBC for improving safety at the injunction and also joined in the mantra for attitudinal change on the roads