The Governing Board of the National Communications Authority (NCA) has endorsed the award of a sum of One Hundred and Thirty Three (133) FM radio telecom authorisations which incorporate new applications from elements whose FM radio broadcasts were shut down after the 2017 FM Audit just as existing stations which applied for recharging of their lapsed FM Radio telecom authorisations.
The endorsement was done at a Board meeting hung on eleventh October, 2021.
An assertion gave by the NCA on Tuesday October 12 said this endorsement from the Board is dependent upon the candidates going to a sensitisation studio on the agreements of FM radio telecom authorisations.
"The studio will explain the lawful, administrative, and specialized prerequisites for the foundation and activity of a FM Radio Broadcasting station.
"Temporary authorisations will be given to the fruitful candidates toward the finish of the studio and frequencies will be appointed to the candidates just upon the satisfaction of the states of the Provisional Authorisation.
"The overall population is reminded that per Section 2(4) of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008, Act 775, an individual will not work a telecom framework or give a telecom administration without a recurrence authorisation by the Authority.
"Wrongdoers are obligated on synopsis conviction to a fine of not multiple thousand punishment units or to a term of detainment of not over five years or to both, according to Section 73 of Act 775 of 2008."
The NCA shut down Radio Gold and Radio XYZ, and a few others.
An assertion gave by the NCA in Accra on May 9, 2019, said the terminations were completed in accordance with Regulations 65 (1) of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011, L. I. 1991, which expresses that "An individual will not utilize a radio recurrence without authorisation from the Authority."
Alluding to a 2018 decision by the Electronic Communications Tribunal on the situation with FM stations with terminated authorisation, the NCA said "Organizations whose authorisations had lapsed returned to a similar situation as a new candidate," adding that "these applications will go through the necessary technique for new FM Broadcasting Authorisation."
The controller didn't make reference to the two stations, suggesting that it was an overall exercise. Be that as it may, just Radio XYZ and Radio Gold have been shut up until now. Authorities of the NCA, sponsored by furnished cops, raged the premises of the radio broadcasts to uphold the closure in the early evening of May 9.
This is the second time in under two years that the controller has utilized its muscles against "defaulting stations." In September, 2017, the NCA did a huge cleanse of the telecom business that saw a sum of 34 radio and TV channels being closed down for different infractions, in implementation of Section 13 of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), Act 775.
The controller likewise forced fines on various stations going from GHC50,000 (US$11,000) to GHC61,000,000 (US$13.8 million) contingent upon the infraction and the length the infraction persevered.
By Mohammed Dauda / kdsmultimedia.com