They have been given 30 days to respond to the notices.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ks3sVa1SF4gqUOBmoNahWKGGH7dmjYUu”]The stations fell foul of Section 13 of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), and have been slapped with over GHc 1 billion in fines, with Radio Gold and Atlantis Radio picking up the heftiest fines of GHc 61,330,000 and GHc 60,350,000 respectively.

“We are hoping that within the 30 days, they will begin meeting the regulatory conditions which include the payment of outstanding debts, payments of penalties, and putting their documentation and authorization in good standing,” the Director of Consumer and Corporate Affairs at the NCA, Nana Defie Badu said in a Citi News interview.

Mrs. Defie Badu said no company has so far indicated that it will not be able to pay within the 30 days’ notice and “it is up to the stations to get back to the NCA on how they intend to meet the regulatory requirements.”

She explained that “the 30 days will start counting from the day the letter was received by the radio stations. That is when we start counting the 30 days.  At the expiration of the notice, the NCA would have to sit down and review all the inputs that are coming in.”

In the meantime, the NCA will wait on the sanctioned radio stations to make their moves within the notice period and will “only take a decision after the 30 day period is concluded,” she added.

She said the next course of action “will depend a lot on the actions of radio stations towards fulfilling the regulatory compliance… It may include that [shutting them down].”

“Obviously, if some companies have made some moves or actions towards meeting the regulatory requirements, I  am sure the actions of the NCA on that station will be different from somebody who has not made any effort towards meeting regulatory compliance,” Mrs. Defie Badu said.

Break down of 97 sanctioned stations

According to the NCA, eleven (11) radio stations have been requested to pay application fees for renewal of Authorisation, and also pay a fine in accordance with the NCA’s gazetted Schedule of Penalties for failure to apply 3 months before expiry of Authorization within 30 days.

Two (2) radio stations have been asked to submit renewal application within 30 days.

Sixteen (16) radio stations have been asked to submit renewal application, pay application fees, and pay a fine in accordance with the Authority’s gazetted Schedule of Penalties within 30 days.

Twenty‐four (24) radio stations have been asked to submit omitted documents and pay a fine in accordance with the Authority’s gazetted Schedule of Penalties within 30 days.

Fifteen (15) radio stations will have their Authorisation processed after payment of fines in accordance with the Authority’s gazetted Schedule of Penalties.

One (1) radio station has been asked to settle its outstanding indebtedness before renewal of Authorisation is considered.

Twenty (20) radio stations have been asked to settle their Provisional Authorization (renewal) fees which have been invalidated due to non‐payment within sixty days – to pay interest on due amount.

Eight (8) radio stations have been asked to pay a fine in accordance with the NCA’s gazette Schedule of Penalties before the authority conducts inspection as requested by the stations.

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

The post Fined stations face shut-down after 30-day notice – NCA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

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.

He, together with eight others were sworn-in on Thursday by the Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu who inaugurated the board.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JGHlaSu8skf2k0YJSr92fINJl7QDMIWU”]The NCA board is chaired by communications expert, Kwaku Sakyi Addo and has other members including: Joe Anokye, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, Bernard Aidoo-Forson, Philip Asare Kwame Ayesu, David Gyewu, and Susan-Barbara Adjorkor Boye Kumapley.

NCA to sanction over 100 radio stations if…

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Ursula said over 100 radio stations risk being sanctioned for various infractions of the frequency regulation.

The affected radio stations, she said, would suffer penalties ranging from suspensions to revocations of their frequencies depending on the gravity of the offence.

“…Sanctions will be applied to those who flouted the license condition, they are over a hundred and sanctions range from suspension to revocation of the authorization and some would have fines imposed upon them. They range from either expiry of the authorization, incomplete application for extension or renewal, nonpayment of fees, transfer of licenses to other agencies without prior approval of the NCA and a range of other issues.”

She explained that the NCA is taking such measures to sanitize the radio space.

“We need to have some sanity in this space and so those are the measures we are putting in place to ensure that everybody who signed up to operate a radio station and this country will abide by their own license conditions that they’ve signed up to.”

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

The post Paul Adom Otchere appointed NCA board member appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The 2004 Convention People’s Party (CPP) presidential candidate is being sued by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) for failing to pay the SSNIT contributions of his workers at GOCREST security company limited.

According to SSNIT in their law suit, Mr. Aggudey failed to over the years, pay deductions of employee salaries of 5% and the employers matching funds of 12% to SSNIT towards the pension of his workers.

SSNIT records at the time of filing the law suit showed Mr. Aggudey’s company, GOCREST Security, owed SSNIT over GHC 8 billion in unpaid contributions .

It was against that backdrop a Circuit Court presided over by the presiding Judge, Mr. Justice Osam issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Mr. Aggudey who failed to appear in court after being summoned.

Mr. Aggudey’s legal team quickly filed an application for stay of prosecution at the Accra Fast Track Court seeking to overturn the earlier court ruling which necessitated his incarceration.

Mr. Aggudey’s lead counsel, Lawyer Kwaku Ansah Asare on Thursday May 8, 2014 argued that his client was denied fair trial which led to his wrongful  conviction.

He pleaded with the court to engage the services of an audit or accounting firm to reconcile the accounts of GOCREST security company Limited and that of SSNIT to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mr. Aggudey’s earlier conviction was right.

Lawyer Kwaku Ansah Asare maintained that his client was innocent until proven guilty by the court after reconciling the accounts of GOCREST security and that of SSNIT.

He further prayed the court to circumscribe the matter in contention within the period Mr. Aggudey was prosecuted for owing SSNIT.

Counsel for SSNIT, Akoto Baffour, rejected Mr. Aggudey counsel’s submission and prayed the court to dismiss the accused application for stay of prosecution and compel him to pay in full his indebtness to SSNIT.

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Court sets May 30 to rule on Aggudey’s case appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.