The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has defended the recent shutdown of 64 radio stations, insisting the move is not an assault on free speech but a necessary push for accountability and responsible governance of Ghana’s airwaves.

Addressing Parliament on Thursday, June 12, Mr. George clarified that the enforcement action was aimed at curbing regulatory violations, not silencing dissenting voices.

His remarks followed President John Mahama’s directive to grant the affected stations a 30-day grace period to rectify their breaches and resume operations.
"Our fight is not against free speech. It is against lawlessness, asset misappropriation, and regulatory defiance," he said.

He described the enforcement not as routine administrative action, but a decisive “declaration against impunity, abuse, and inertia” within the broadcasting sector.

Responding to the President’s call for clemency, Mr. George confirmed the initiation of a 30-day window beginning June 12, 2025, during which defaulting stations are expected to comply with regulatory requirements or face formal revocation of their licenses.

To demonstrate the government's commitment to fairness, the Minister pointed to an earlier case this year in which six suspended stations corrected their infractions and were successfully reinstated.
"Earlier this year, we shut down six media houses who have all rectified their breaches, and they have been reinstated."

"I remain committed to reclaiming what rightfully belongs to the Ghanaian people and laying the foundations for a fair, modern, and technologically equipped broadcasting sector," he said.