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President John Dramani Mahama has waded into the ongoing crackdown on non-compliant radio stations by the National Communications Authority (NCA), directing the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation to engage the NCA on restoring the broadcast of 64 affected stations.
The President’s directive, communicated through his spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, calls for the immediate reinstatement of the affected stations while urging a more measured and rights-conscious approach to regulatory enforcement.
“The President believes that regulatory compliance must take into account the need to uphold and enhance media freedom. Requiring radio stations to shut down while awaiting the regularisation of their authorisation could limit the space for expressing such freedoms,” the statement read.
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This intervention follows an earlier NCA enforcement action that ordered 64 FM stations off-air over a range of licensing breaches—including operating with expired authorisations and failure to pay relevant authorisation fees.
The enforcement action targets stations found to be operating with expired authorisations, unpaid licence fees, or failure to meet set-up conditions stipulated under the Electronic Communications Act and its accompanying regulations.
The move comes after months of monitoring and multiple warnings issued to both stations, according to a press release from the NCA.
The NCA cited non-compliance with licensing conditions, failure to renew operational authorizations, and breaches of broadcasting standards as the primary reasons for the closure.
This decisive action is part of the NCA’s ongoing efforts to enforce broadcasting regulations and maintain order in Ghana’s media space.
According to NCA officials, Asaase Radio and Wontumi FM continued to operate despite lapses in their regulatory obligations.
The stations reportedly failed to submit required documentation and ignored repeated notices demanding compliance with Ghana’s Electronic Communications Act and NCA guidelines for FM broadcasting.
The NCA emphasized that the shutdown is part of a broader strategy to ensure that all broadcasters adhere to legal and technical standards. “This is not about targeting specific stations. It’s about enforcing the rules fairly across the ,” an NCA spokesperson explained.
The shutdown of Asaase Radio and Wontumi FM has generated significant public reaction.
Both stations have large listener bases and strong political affiliations, particularly Wontumi FM, which is associated with key figures in the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Out of the 62 affected stations: 28 were found to be operating with expired authorisations; 14 received authorisation but failed to set up operations within two years, breaching regulatory timelines; 13 are operating under provisional authorisation, despite having paid the required fees; and 7 stations paid provisional fees, but final authorisation is pending due to non-fulfilment of requirements under Regulation 54 of the Electronic Communications Regulations.
The NCA reiterated that all broadcasters must comply fully with licensing obligations to remain operational and assured the public that the authority will continue its monitoring and enforcement efforts.
President Mahama has, however, asked the Communications Minister to work closely with the NCA to develop a reasonable timeframe within which the affected stations can regularise their documentation and continue broadcasting without disruption.
