Radio Crackdown: Sam George Insists Action Is About Law, Not Politics
Communications Minister Sam George has defended the National Communications Authority’s (NCA) recent suspension of over 50 radio stations across the country, emphasizing that the initiative is driven by legal necessity—not political bias.
According to George, an NCA audit launched under the directive of the Ministry revealed numerous instances of license violations. “Spectrum is a finite national resource. What we’re uncovering is nothing short of fraud,” he asserted . In several cases, frequency authorizations had expired, yet broadcasters were still operating, having dishonestly submitted renewal applications instead of filing fresh ones—a direct breach of the law .
George painted a picture of arbitrariness and collusion, claiming that “politically connected individuals” hurried to renew expired licenses following the 2020 elections. Worse yet, some members of the licensing board allegedly converted these improper renewals into new licenses—actions he described as “arrogant” and beyond legal bounds .
Despite the severity of these infractions, the government opted for a measured response. Under guidance from President Mahama, George said, “don’t revoke—engage them.” Thus, affected stations were offered a 30‑day grace period to regularize their paperwork, and some have already had licenses suspended for administrative oversights. Notably, GUMAH FM saw its license revoked entirely on national security grounds tied to the Bawku conflict .
In response to criticism that the crackdown might infringe on press freedom, George remained unmoved. He clarified, “This is not about press freedom. This is about fairness,” pointing to established broadcasters like Multimedia, which comply fully with regulatory obligations, including taxes and audited financials .
George underlined his administration’s commitment to transparency and equal accountability: “Operation Recover All—recovering every single public resource misallocated, misused, or stolen. Frequency spectrum is one of them. The law will be strictly applied” .
While acknowledging that some missteps were likely due to complacency, George emphasized that the days of “impunity” are over. With licenses suspended and legal opinions affirming their invalidity, he plans continued consultations with stakeholders—such as the Media Foundation for West Africa and GIBA—to restore order to the broadcasting industry Â
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