The recent announcement by Minister of Communications and MP for Ningo-Prampram, Hon. Sam George, regarding the shutting down of over 60 radio stations across Ghana has sent shockwaves through the media landscape. According to him, these closures were part of efforts by regulatory authorities to ensure compliance with broadcasting laws. While media regulation is essential, the glaring double standard—where visibly fraudulent television channels remain untouched—raises troubling questions about the motive and fairness behind these actions.
Radio is, by far, the most accessible and community-based medium in Ghana. It connects the remotest parts of the country to national discourse and serves as a vital tool for education, public health, and democratic engagement. Silencing over 62 radio stations—many of which serve rural and low-income populations—without corresponding action against scam-filled TV channels signals not prudence, but prejudice.
What makes the situation even more baffling is the continued operation of television channels that peddle outright fraud. From miracle money schemes and fake lotto numbers to dubious herbal treatments and spiritual manipulation, these stations operate in plain sight. Yet, despite repeated public complaints, they are left untouched by the same Communications Ministry that has come down hard on radio.
Hon. Sam George, in his dual capacity as Communications Minister and MP, must know that true regulation cannot be selective. His admission of the mass radio shutdowns, without mention of plans to tackle exploitative TV channels, appears inconsistent and even hypocritical. If the goal is to sanitize the airwaves, why target only one medium?
This lopsided approach betrays the principle of fairness. While some radio stations may have breached technical or licensing rules, the content pushed by many TV stations is far more dangerous and ethically bankrupt. Ignoring this fact, while presenting the crackdown on radio as a win for media regulation, only exposes a lack of deeper commitment to truth and justice.
There is growing suspicion among the public that powerful figures and commercial interests are protecting these scam-ridden TV channels. Their operators often have access to political circles and funding streams that grassroots radio stations can only dream of. This fuels the belief that regulation in Ghana is not based on principle, but on privilege.
Let us be clear: this is not a call to condone illegality within radio broadcasting. Every media outlet must respect the law. However, enforcement must be uniform. The same firmness shown towards radio must be extended to TV stations whose operations are clearly predatory and unethical. Anything short of that reflects a broken regulatory system.
Hon. Sam George has built a reputation as an outspoken and tech-savvy public servant. That is why it is even more imperative for him, now as Communications Minister, to ensure that his leadership does not become synonymous with selective enforcement. He must rise above politics and favoritism and act in the public’s true interest.
The Ministry must publish a list of all sanctioned radio and TV outlets, the reasons for their shutdowns or continued operation, and a clear timeline for reviewing fraudulent content. Only then will the media sector, and the citizens it serves, have confidence in the direction of regulatory efforts.
Ghana deserves a fair, transparent, and principled media environment. Shutting down community radio while scam TV channels run wild is not reform—it is, unmistakably, a case of daylight ignorance.
