The National Communications Authority (NCA) has stated that frequencies for Radio Gold and the other radio stations shut down in 2017 were preserved until they paid the re-authorisation fees.
The Authority was unhappy media reports suggested that a decision had been taken not to grant the existing radio stations among the 133 new and exisiting ones their original frequencies.
“The NCA wishes to correct this erroneous impression considering that the decision to assign the original frequencies to applicants which previously held them had already been made at the time of announcing the Board approval of the said applications,” it said in a statement on Tuesday, October 26.
“However, the frequencies were to be communicated to the stations only after the payment of the requisite authorization fees as is the case for all new applicants for FM radio broadcasting station authorisations.”
The Authority said its age-old practice has been to disclose frequencies assigned FM broadcast stations only after the successful applicants have paid their authorisation fees.
“This was the position stated by the Ag. Head of Engineering, Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko on JoyNews’ Newsfile edition of 23rd October, 2021.
“The Director General, Mr. Joe Anokye sent the message confirming the grant of the original frequencies only to allay the fears of panelists who expressed concern that the original frequencies may not be assigned to the said stations.
“The general public is informed that the NCA has preserved the original frequencies of the said stations since their close down and this should indicate the Authority’s long held intentions in this regard.”
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana