RTI is Akufo-Addo’s greatest legacy, closure of radio stations is his bad legacy – MFWA

Executive Director of the Media Foundation for the West Africa (MFWA) Sulemana Braimah has noted that one of the greatest achievements of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his first term was the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) law.

In a tweet, Mr. Braimah said “One great legacy of the Akufo-Addo government is the passage of the RTI Law.”

He added, “Closing pro-opposition radio stations across the country and leaving pro-government stations is anti-media freedom and very undemocratic.”

Fifty-seven out of the 144 Frequency Modulation (FM) stations that were cited for various infractions in an audit exercise by the National Communications Authority (NCA) were shut down.

“In accordance with the decisions of the Electronic Communication Tribunal (ECT), 30 out of the 57 stations have submitted fresh applications for FM authorisations, out of which 15 have been processed.

“The applications for the remaining15 FM stations are still being processed and the outcomes will be communicated to them after they have gone through all the requisite processes, which include technical review, management review, and board approval,” she added.

Communications Minister Ursula Owusu further said 27 out of the stations that were closed down had not submitted fresh applications for new FM authorisations.

She gave the updates when she took her turn at the ‘meet-the-press’ series in Accra on Monday, October 14.

One GREAT legacy of the Akufo-Addo government is the passage of the RTI Law.

One BAD legacy of the Akufo-Addo government is the politically-motivated closure of pro-opposition radio stations across the country.

— Sulemana Braimah (@sulemana) March 10, 2021

Closing pro-opposition radio stations across the country and leaving pro-government stations is anti-media freedom and very undemocratic.

— Sulemana Braimah (@sulemana) March 10, 2021