Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited has pushed back against the National Communications Authority’s (NCA) decision to suspend the operations of three o
Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited has pushed back against the National Communications Authority’s (NCA) decision to suspend the operations of three of its radio stations, insisting it has fulfilled all regulatory requirements demanded by the authority.
In a formal response addressed to the Acting Director General of the NCA, Edmund Y. Fianko, the company’s General Manager, Chris Joe Quaicoe, disputed the grounds for the suspension, arguing that all concerns raised in a previous notice from the NCA had been resolved.
The letter, dated August 12, 2025, outlined steps taken by the media group to rectify the cited infractions.
According to Wontumi Multimedia, the company applied for the necessary authorization to operate a Studio-to-Transmitter Link (STL) on June 30, 2025, obtained a fire safety certificate from the Ghana National Fire Service, and secured environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency for the siting of its mast.
The company also claimed it had paid outstanding regulatory and spectrum fees totaling GHS 22,330 and had invited the NCA for a follow-up inspection within the stipulated period.
“We respectfully request that you review our compliance status and reconsider the suspension of our broadcasting license,” the letter concluded, adding that the company was working with its legal team to protect its operational rights.
Background to the Suspension
The NCA announced the suspension of nine radio stations across the country after a 30-day grace period granted by President John Dramani Mahama for defaulting broadcasters to rectify breaches of Ghana’s broadcasting regulations expired.
The nationwide compliance drive, aimed at sanitizing the airwaves, targeted stations that failed, refused, or neglected to take corrective action despite the amnesty period.
Six stations, including Donplus Multimedia (Ho), Dreams Ghana Media (New Abirem), and Jam Multimedia (Duayaw Nkwanta), were cited for persistent violations.
Three other suspended stations belong to Wontumi Multimedia: Wontumi Radio 95.9 MHz (Accra), Wontumi Radio 101.3 MHz (Kumasi), and Wontumi Radio 101.3 MHz (Takoradi).
According to the NCA, these outlets breached multiple regulations, including unauthorised use of STL frequencies, operating from unapproved transmitter sites, and lacking a valid Certificate of Compliance, contravening Regulation 54 of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 1991).
NCA’s Position
The NCA has maintained its commitment to strict enforcement of broadcasting laws, warning that it will continue to monitor and sanction operators that flout the rules.
The standoff between Wontumi Multimedia and the NCA now raises questions about regulatory fairness and the pace at which compliance claims by media houses are verified, setting the stage for what could become a heated legal and public debate over media freedom and regulatory enforcement in Ghana’s broadcasting sector.
COMMENTS