Speaking to Citi News, the Minority Spokesperson on Communications, A.B.A. Fuseini said the drop in Ghana’s ranking on the Index proves that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is unwilling to fight the canker.

[contextly_sidebar id=”d7I9yMEhSkUtEaxHk9kksWjaka357oUD”]”It is a vindication of us in the Minority; that we had said consistently that there has been so much corruption in this government. In the one-year-old government of President Nana Akufo-Addo, the corruption has been stinking to the high heavens,” he said.

He cited the $2.25 billion bond saga, which he said “the government was not even interested” in looking into.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was accused of cronyism by the Minority in the bond issue, although the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) cleared him of any conflict of interest.

Mr. Fuseini noted other allegations of corruption which have been made under the current administration saying, “we have had the occasion to talk about the five million contaminated litres of fuel which were sent out under corrupt and opaque circumstances. We’ve had premix fuel issues. We have had issues coming from Korle Bu. We have had issues at the Presidency itself.”

Ghana dropped 11 places from the 2016 ranking to place 81 out of 180 countries in the 2017 Corruption Perception index.

Ghana’s mark out of a total of 100 was 40, down from 43, which the country attained in the 2016 index.

Index factored in Mahama government

The government has however argued that Ghana’s poor performance in the 2017 Global Corruption Perception Index also took into account corruption cases recorded under the John Mahama administration, which left power in January 2017.

The government’s Spokesperson on Governance and Legal Affairs, Herbert Krapa, stated that the report was not an indication that the current New Patriotic Party [NPP] government was corrupt.

The Ghana Integrity Initiative’s (GII) also noted that Ghana’s score of 40 points was likely a reflection of the insufficient investigations, prosecutions and sanctioning of corrupt acts, per data sources from 2016.

“It is important to remind ourselves of the plethora of corruption exposés during the period in question which might have influenced the perception of the respondents to the surveys as well as the business experts – examples include the 2016 election-related corruption issues, Bus Branding scandal, Ghana Standards Authority $1.2m Corruption Scandal, Central Medical Stores Arson Saga, National Lottery Authority bribery and numerous adverse findings in annual Audit Reports on the Public Sector,” the statement accompanying the current index stated.

It should be noted that only two of 13 data sources were from 2016, the Global Insight Country Risk Ratings and the African Development Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment.

Ghana’s past performance

The report, put together by Transparency International, ranks countries annually by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.

In the 2016 Corruption Perception Index ranking, Ghana dropped four percentage points, scoring 43 out of a clean score of 100.

In 2015, Ghana improved slightly on 2014’s figure with a rank of 56 out of 168 countries and a score of 47.

Thus, Ghana slid back by one percentage point from the 48 points scored in 2014.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Owners of the radio stations sanctioned for operating with expired licenses as well as other offenses, would have to cough up about GHc1.18 billion or suffer a shut down.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ZZ228WaSP81muEJ13NA707eeLxMU0Ihl”]34 radio stations have already had their licenses revoked by the NCA for not renewing them even after several notices.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Alhaji Fuseini held that, Ghana had a reputation to protect in the eyes of the world.

“I have just returned from Korea and I am telling you that Ghana was touted as one of the beacons of democracy on the African continent and that we have free media and hundreds of radio stations.”

“So if you were to hear that all of a sudden, 131 radio stations are being closed in Ghana, what signal is that going to send to the international community and the comity of nations that cherish Ghana as a beacon of hope and democracy,” the MP questioned.

He admitted that there were issues with the various stations falling foul of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), but urged some restraint from the NCA.

The NCA has been urged to meet the offending companies halfway, and maybe adopt a payment plan to ease the pressure on the stations.

“Let them get compliance, let them pay and then continue to exist and contribute their quota to the right to freedom of expression in this country,” Alhaji Fuseini advised.

He also reiterated the sentiment that the NCA was being unfair by dropping, in some cases, 17 years worth of penalties on some stations at a go.

“You cannot pile them for over a decade and all of a sudden come and say you want to lump all of them at a go and ask them to pay. That is the problem we have… it’s like looking for an excuse to legislate somebody out of existence.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Shutting down radio stations will hurt our democracy – A. B. A. Fuseini appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“The NCA does not also appear to have considered the deleterious impact this will have on jobs in the sector. We estimate that close to 5,000 people working in the affected stations will be rendered jobless should the current action persist,” a statement by the Minority, signed by the Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, A.B.A Fuseini said.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7PUEcPaRLYKk2sVa4IQieUClR7KXgtmd”]”This will only serve to worsen the precarious unemployment situation and add to the hardships Ghanaians are going through.”

The stations including Accra-based Radio Gold, Atlantis Radio and Radio XYZ, were either fined or had their licenses revoked by the National Communications Authority (NCA) following the completion of a nationwide FM Spectrum Audit.

In the case of Radio Gold and Atlantis, they are to pay in excess of Ghc120 million in fines.

In the statement which was released on Friday, the Minority also described the development as troubling, and one that could have “grave implications for press freedom and media pluralism.”

“These actions by the NCA threaten to roll back the gains made so far in entrenching a vibrant media culture. While we acknowledge the NCA’s right to regulate the communications sector in a manner that ensures compliance with appropriate regulations, we are alarmed by the sweeping and heavy-handed approach under the current exercise.”

The Minority also suggested that, the sanctions imposed on the stations were an attempt to silence the radio stations that were seen to have opposed the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

“The current revocation and sanctions regime appears to be monetizing the right to free expression and could be construed as an effort to exact retribution particularly against stations that have traditionally been ideologically opposed to the current NPP administration,” the statement added.

‘Pay up or fold up’

A number of the stations have been given 30 days to settle their indebtedness or submit the relevant documentation as indicated in the letters sent them by the NCA.

Of the notable stations, Radio XYZ has been fined GHc 4,090,000, Atinka FM fined GHc 14,800,000 whiles Radio Gold and Atlantis Radio picked up the heftiest fines with GHc 61,330,000 and GHc 60,350,000 respectively.

A further 13 FM Authorisation Holders have been issued with reprieves as pertains to their authorisations

Find below the full statement by the Minority

STATEMENT BY MINORITY ON HIGH-HANDED REGULATORY SANCTIONS AGAINST SELECTED MEDIA HOUSES BY THE NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY

The Minority in Parliament has learnt with grave concern, of an on-going exercise by the National Communications Authority (NCA) under which selected media houses have been subjected to very steep regulatory sanctions.

It is our understanding that, about 131 radio stations have either had their authorization revoked, which means they have been taken off air, or have been slapped with very draconian fines running into tens of millions of Ghana cedis in some instances. Other kinds of sanctions have been applied in a variety of cases.

We are deeply troubled by this development which has grave implications for press freedom and media pluralism.These actions by the NCA threaten to roll back the gains made so far in entrenching a vibrant media culture.

While we acknowledge the NCA’s right to regulate the communications sector in a manner that ensures compliance with appropriate regulations, we are alarmed by the sweeping and heavy-handed approach under the current exercise.

The situation where alleged breaches of regulations dating back several years are suddenly cited as basis for the near-summary closure of radio stations and humongous fines, poses a mortal danger to the expansion of the frontiers of free expression.

Radio has become a foremost means of expression by large sections of our citizenry since the liberalization of the airwaves at the beginning of the current democratic dispensation. Entities operating within that space, therefore, ought to be acknowledged for their invaluable contributions to the growth of our democracy.

Regulatory enforcement ought to be undertaken in a reasonable manner that factors in the fragilities inherent in the operations of many radio stations.

The current revocation and sanctions regime appears to be monetizing the right to free expression and could be construed as an effort to exact retribution particularly against stations that have traditionally been ideologically opposed to the current NPP administration.

We are at a loss as to how millions of Ghana cedis can be imposed as fines on radio stations, failing which their authorization will be revoked only to have them sold to other entities for GHS 30,000.

The NCA does not also appear to have considered the deleterious impact this will have on jobs in the sector. We estimate that close to 5,000 people working in the affected stations will be rendered jobless should the current action persist.

This will only serve to worsen the precarious unemployment situation and add to the hardships Ghanaians are going through.

In light of the foregoing, we urge the NCA to as a matter of urgency suspend the on-going exercise and use dialogue and more flexible means to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

This, we believe, will avert a situation where monetary value is placed on the right to free expression with its attendant difficulties.

Signed,
Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini (MP)
Ranking Member, Communications Committee.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NCA sanctions will affect 5,000 workers – Minority warns appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, processes are far advanced for the wiring of the towns in the area that hitherto were without light saying “as soon as they are completed we will switch them on.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”VI3x0sZ6ohLkGit19qqfqpvi2vwOSppo”]“In the realm of electricity when I was campaigning for election, about 25 communities had since their existence never seen light. No light had shone in their areas ever since their creation. I’m happy to tell you today that I am on the verge of accomplishing an unprecedented feat of ensuring that by the time I go for election there would not be a single village that would be without light. By the time December 7 comes, there would be no community in my constituency, Sagnarigu that would be without light,” he emphasised

A.B.A Fuseini who is also the Deputy Northern Regional Minister made the assurance on the Point Blank Segment on Eyewitness News on Tuesday.

The Sagnarigu legislator said he received an electricity deficit of 25 communities from his predecessor but has been able to bridge the gap within the shortest possible time.

“I inherited a deficit of about 25 towns and villages, as I speak to you they are in the wiring are being done and they are in the process of just completing those ones and as soon as they are completed we will switch them on. I’m sure latest by November we are going to switch them on. I’m not whistling, I’m blowing a trumpet so whoever who is anywhere can note it done and go and find out.”

He also listed some of the projects undertaken in the area by the NDC government including education, water connection among others and assured of more of such projects if the NDC government is retained on December 7, 2016.

“That is the solid record of achievement that the government of President John Mahama and myself as the Member of Parliament have chalked…and President Mahama will have one touch victory.”

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Every home in Sagnarigu to enjoy electricity before December 7 – MP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Journalists Shaker al-Johari and Mohammad al-Jayousi were debating the conflict on Jordan’s Seven Stars programme on Thursday.

Al-Jayousi accused al-Johari of supporting the revolution in Syria, and was in turn accused of backing President Bashar al-Assad in exchange for money.

Watch Video below;

Credit: BBC

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