Ministry of Information and NCA urged to regulate programmes

Kumasi, Feb. 9, GNA - The Ministry of Information has been urged to collaborate with the National Communication authority to implement sustained measures to "properly" regulate programmes broadcast by the electronic media.

Mr Opoku-Agyemang Prempeh, Managing Director of Lakayana Company, a revenue generation and collection consortium, observed that the absence of more dynamic measures and lukewarm attitude towards implementing existing regulations has resulted in the broadcast of "all sorts of indecent programmes".

He made the proposal in a congratulatory message issued in Kumasi on Wednesday to the new Minister of Information, Mr Dan Botwe. Mr Prempeh mentioned the broadcast of profane music, screening of sexual films on the televisions and the display of nude pictures of women in newspapers, as areas that should engage the immediate attention of the Ministry of Information and NCA.

Mr Prempeh dismissed the notion checking such activities of the media amounted to censorship. "It is not censorship, neither is it an infringement on the rights of the media".

He said the morals of the youth are gradually becoming corrupted just because of indecent programmes and pornographic films that are being aired in the media, adding that the time has come for such acts to be halted.

Mr Prempeh also advised the media to contribute more positively towards redeeming the youth from immorality by resolving to air only materials that have the potential of promoting good morals.

"They should also begin to highlight more on issues pertaining to health, education and various economic ventures rather than over-concentrating on only issues pertaining to politics", he stressed.