Bawku: Four Radio Stations Appeal Against NCA’s Action On Shutdown
Four radio stations located in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region, which have been closed down over security concerns in the Municipality, are protesting the action by the National Communications Authority (NCA).
General Manager of Gumah FM, one of the affected radio stations Nurudeen Gumah said the NCA neither engaged them nor provided evidence of their operations and the alleged incendiary utterances made on their platforms that, it claimed, contributed to the escalation of the inter-tribal conflict in the area, necessitating their closure.
While contesting the claims of the NCA, Nurudeen Gumah revealed that the stations will in the coming days take actions to reverse the decision by the regulatory agency.
“I do not agree that our stations used incendiary language to fuel the conflict in Bawku. I expect National Security, the REGSEC and the NCA to provide evidence that we have actually discussed on our airwaves that they believe will further distract the peace process in Bawku.
They have never engaged us, MUSEC has never engaged us. REGSEC has never engaged us, NCA has never engaged us. So they haven’t provided any evidence,” he stated in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM.
He added, “we are going to lodge an official complaint to the NMC because we are fully aware that it is the NMC that is supposed to be regulating content and the Media Commission have been engaging us. And then we will petition the NCA and find out why they have to suspend our operationalization and authorization. We hope that, by next week, we will be on air again”.
The NCA, on Saturday, February 24, shut down the four radio stations over their operations and alleged incendiary utterances of their presenters and panelists which, it said, were fueling the conflict in Bawku.
The decision to close down Bawku FM, Source FM, Zahra FM and Gumah FM operating in the area, it indicated in a statement, was arrived at following recommendations by the Regional Security Council, and on the advice of the Ministry of National Security.
