Montie, Radio Gold not targeted – Ursula Owusu clears air

Minister-designate for Communications Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says she never authorized the shutdown of any radio stations.

According to her, over 50 radio stations had to be closed down for failure to have renewed their licenses after their expiration thereof.

This, she said, followed an audit conducted by the National Communications Authority (NCA).

Appearing before the Appointments Committee of Parliament during her vetting on Monday, February 15, the Ablekuma West Member of Parliament said after the audit, it was noted the 625 radio stations were in operation in Ghana.

Out of that number, 452 were in operation while 173 were not yet in operation.

She said in 2017 when she took over as Minister of Communications, it was noted that 144 stations which have fallen foul of the law were only fined by the NCA to still be in business.

She, therefore, had to charge the NCA to mete out the sanctions according to law.

As a result, 56 FM stations were closed down, she told the Committee.

Forty-three of these stations later submitted applications for authorization.

Thirty of these 43 applications were processed and authorizations granted, she pointed out, assuring that the rest will have their applications reviewed by the close of the first quarter of 2021.

“Mr Chairman, it is not possible for me to target any particular radio stations for special [reasons],” she admitted.

“Many of the names, I have no idea what their political leanings or ownership of many of these stations are apart from the known ones.”

She added that it could not have been “selective or discriminatory or unfair.”