Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, told Parliament Thursday that radio stations recently shuttered by the country’s communications regulator will be given 30 days to resolve regulatory breaches and resume operations.

The announcement follows a directive earlier in the day from President John Mahama instructing the Ministry and the National Communications Authority (NCA) to reinstate the 64 affected stations—among them Asaase Radio, Happy FM, and Wontumi FM—while granting them time to regularize their broadcasting licenses.

“His Excellency John Mahama directed that the Ministry work with the regulator at the NCA to allow all the affected radio stations some additional time to correct the identified breaches within a defined time frame,” Mr. George said during a parliamentary session.

Stations that fail to meet the regulatory requirements within the 30-day window will face formal license revocation under existing laws, the minister added.

In a move described as part of a more “compassionate and democratic” regulatory approach, the government has also waived all fines that would have been levied against the broadcasters—marking a sharp departure from the previous administration’s handling of media compliance issues.

“This is not the same as the arbitrary revocations and hefty fines imposed under the previous administration,” George said. “As a caring government, the Ministry has also been instructed to waive all the applicable fines.”

The NCA had enforced the closures under provisions of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 1991), specifically citing violations of Regulations 54 and 56. The Mahama administration’s intervention comes amid growing public concern over media freedom and regulatory overreach.

Source:TheDotNews