The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, has said it is within the National Communications Authority (NCA) rights to shut down television stations it believes are committing some infractions.

He is of the view that, the NCA has every justification to sanction to such TV channels as long as there is adequate proof that the affected channels were operating illegally.

He is therefore requesting the NCA to make public the infractions committed by TV channels currently on their radar to ensure fairness and transparency.

The National Communications Authority (NCA), in a statement on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, said it intends to shut down some 49 television channels in the country because they were operating without valid licences, contrary to Section 2 (4) of the Electronic Communications Act 775 of 2008.

Some of the affected channels are Virgin TV, Kiss TV, Maranatha TV, Kwaku Bonsam TV, Obuor TV and Thunder TV, whose owner, Patience Asiedua, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, was arrested during the exercise.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi Fm, Mr George said the different infractions by the channels, whether they were operating with expired licenses or operating without licenses, or breaching the terms of their licenses, must be disclosed by the NCA.

“If you have not applied for a license and same [has not been] granted by the NCA, you cannot and should not be broadcasting. If they are broadcasting using spectrum without the requisite registration and license, that is illegal and so the NCA is within its rights to take them off [air]. We can’t have a situation where anybody decides they’ll broadcast whatever they want to broadcast.”

“We want [to see] the details of what the infractions are… On what basis are you terminating their broadcast rights? [But] so long as the [affected channels] are breaking the law, the NCA is within its rights,” he said.

He said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Caucus in Parliament “will accept it if the reasons [given by the NCA] are against the law.”

He disclosed that the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications will consider inviting the NCA to brief them on details of the shutdown exercise, amongst other development within the communications sector.