Sanitize media airwaves by passing the Broadcasting Bill - Federation of Muslim Councils

The Federation of Muslim Councils of Ghana has expressed worry that existing guidelines on religious broadcasting in the country are not being followed, leading to such incidences of inappropriate and misleading content on our television airwaves.

In a statement, the FMC stated that the killing of the 11-year-old Ishmael Mensah at Kasoa a few weeks ago by two suspected teenagers believed to be the deceased’s friends has given rise to conversations on the kinds of contents available in Ghana’s media.

“More worrying is the fact all this goes on in the face of guidelines on religious broadcasting in the country. The National Media Commission (NMC) in 2018 launched the Guidelines on Religious Broadcasting in Ghana which sought to define the principles and clarify the rules governing religious broadcasts in the country.

“The Guidelines, for being what media practitioners may call ‘self-regulating’, may not have far-reaching effects in terms of commanding respect. That notwithstanding, the nation has a duty to protect its citizens by whatever means possible,” it said.

The statement, signed by Al-Hajj Muhammad Amir Kpakpo Addo, the Secretary-General of the Federation, also called for a collective approach to dealing with the menace on our airwaves.

“Instilling moral and ethical values in society is a multi-stakeholder responsibility, including the home, the school, the church (faith-based institutions), and the media. Rules (i) and (iii) of the Guidelines are worth considering in this context.

“Rule (i) directs that “Religious broadcasts should always endeavour to promote cultural, moral and ethical values, and respect personal freedoms, rights, obligations, and privacy” while rule (iii) enjoins that “Religious broadcasts should protect children and the vulnerable” (emphasis ours).

“Arguably, money doubling adverts by spiritualists and so-called mallams on TV and radio do not advance the objectives of the NMC Guidelines on Religious Broadcasting in Ghana,” it said.

The FMC is therefore calling for the airwaves to be sanitized through the collective work of stakeholders, while calling for the quick passage of the Broadcasting Bill to avert future occurrences of this nature.

“There is, therefore, the need for stakeholders to refocus on our ethical and moral values as a nation and to sanitise the airwaves, accordingly. Shamefully, the soul of Ishmael Mensah Abdallah seems to have fueled the fire and brought together some 15 key stakeholders under the aegis of the Ministry of Information last week in an attempt to sanitise the media space in Ghana once and for all.

“While grieving the loss of Master Ishmael Mensah Abdallah, the FMC joins other moral voices of society in speaking out against the indiscipline on the airwaves in Ghana; the FMC moans the gradual erosion of moral and ethical values of society and call on all stakeholders to actively engage and reverse the trend. Parents too must show interest in their wards’ education, training, and moral upbringing. Finally, the FMC urges government to ride on the current goodwill and muster courage to quickly push for passage of the Broadcasting Bill,” the statement concluded.