The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has announced a 30-day grace period for Asaase Radio, Wontumi FM, Happy FM, and some 61 other radio stations recently shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA) for regulatory breaches.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, June 12, 2025, the Minister disclosed that the decision was arrived at following a directive from President John Dramani Mahama, issued earlier in the day. The directive instructed the Ministry and the NCA to work together to restore services to the affected stations.
“Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago, 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 announced on the floor of Parliament.
He warned, however, that stations that fail to regularise their authorisations within the grace period risk permanent revocation of their licenses in accordance with existing regulations.
In a bid to adopt what the Minister described as a “more compassionate and democratic approach,” all fines that would have been levied on the defaulting stations have been scrapped.
“This is not the same as the arbitrary revocations and hefty fines imposed under the previous administration. As a caring government, the Ministry has also been instructed to waive all the applicable fines.”
The NCA earlier on Thursday enforced the shutdown of 64 radio stations, including prominent names like Asaase Radio, Happy FM, and Wontumi FM, citing violations of sections 54 and 56 of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 1991).
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
