GBC staff protest directive to reduce channels

Staff of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) are protesting a directive by the Minister of Communications to have channels of their employer on the national digital terrestrial television (DTT) network reduced from six to three. The directive given in a letter dated June 26, 2020 has stirred controversy with the Minority describing Ursula Owusu-Ekuful as acting ultra vires. According to the caucus, it is not within the remit of the Communications Minister to issue a directive to the state broadcaster. Board of GBC also seemed uncomfortable with the directive as it enjoined the Director General, Professor Amin Alhassan, to write to the National Media Commission (NMC) for “urgent intervention”. On Friday, July 17, staff of the biggest broadcasting firm in the country gathered at the forecourt of Broadcasting House in an emergency meeting to protest the move. Clad in red bands, the workers chanted war songs in disapproval of the directive. Speaking in an interview with editors.3news.com, the Chairman of the GBC Workers Union, Nat Kemavor, explained that the GBC needs a re-tool to be able to function effectively instead of asking the broadcaster to shut three out of its six channels down. He said workers are willing to go all out to protect the national assets and urged the general public to rise up to the occasion. Mr. Kemavor said they would petition the Information Ministry and the National Media Commission (NMC) over the directive. Asked on what would be the next line should all the avenues fail, the Union Chairman vowed workers would use all means to halt any “purported sale” of GBC. The Secretary to the Union, Nutor Bibini Nutor, also added that GBC is the only state broadcaster that serves the nation so such decision would mean the heart of Ghana has been sold. He urged other private media houses to join in the fight against the sale of GBC because they also benefit from GBC through human resource. Mr. Bibini Nutor explained that almost every media house in Ghana has a former GBC employee working with it, as such GBC is serving every media house. By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|editors.3news.com|Ghana