The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has applauded the National Communications Authority (NCA) for its decision to close down 49 television stations operating without authorisation.
The Association says it wholly supports the decision of the Authority as it has also observed that some stations abuse the freedom of the media.
President of the GJA, Affail Monney in an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show noted: “We commend NCA for the step they have taken. We applaud them even though it is long overdue. We were expecting this a long time but now with the collaboration of the national security and the NCA, we are seeing sanity.
Freedom is the essence of our profession but freedom has its limit. Freedom without limits is equal to lawlessness”.
Affial Monney took the opportunity to caution media houses against flouting the laws as set in the constitution all in the name of freedom of speech or the media.
“The constitution of Ghana in article 162-163 gives us the power to do what we are to do as the media but if you go to article 164, it imposes national security, national morality and public order restrictions on the media that is where the issue is. So, if you have the freedom as the media that does not give you the right to show pornographic content at a time when children are viewing programmes on the TV”, he added.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) announced its decision to shut down 49 television stations that are operating without authorisation.
The Authority has disclosed that this move “forms part of a continuous monitoring exercise conducted on various Satellite Free-to-Air Television platforms” to rid out television stations operating without valid Authorisations, contrary to Section 2(4) of the Electronic Communications Act 775 of 2008.
Among these 49 stations are some popular religious stations such as Kiss TV, Thunder TV (Agradaa), Chief TV, Kwaku Bonsam TV, Nazareth TV, among others.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
