Consumer Protection Agency to petition government over controversial TV license levy

The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) is set to petition government over the controversial TV license levy which is yet to be enforced in Ghana, the agency has said in an interview.

The Executive Director of the CPA, Mr. Kofi Kapito confirmed this on Nhyira FM this Wednesday in Kumasi in an interview while addressing consumers and stakeholders.

TV license levy undoubtedly has become one major issue which most stakeholder have discussed over the week.

The levy which has drawn the attention of many has existed for more than three decades. But what really resurrected the discussion was the manner at which officials wanted to use in collecting the levy.

The reintroduction of the levy has been met with concerns over whether it’s for TV ownership or the content produced by the state broadcaster.

However, the Director General of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) Dr Akuffo Annor- Ntow has said the levy covers content and not ownership of TV sets.

However, Mr. Kofi Kapito indicated that, government did not truly educate the public on the whole issue let alone to let the consumer understand the need to pay the levy.

When asked if consumers should devoid paying the levy, Mr. Kapito said, he cannot confirm it at the moment simply because the law is not clear.

In the course of thr interview, he made it known that he did not understand the whole law on the license.

The NCCE in a later statement indicated that, neither the government nor the state broadcaster contacted it to educate the public on the law.

“We have to write to government to make amendment on the law to find out the best way to resolve the whole issue. Of course it may be a good law, but maybe we have not understood the manner at which it is going to be implemented. We need interpretation”. Mr. Kapito said

“I’m going to write to the government in the direction of ascertaining how best we can clarify things on the special court saga”. He added