The National Media Commission (NMC) has given a final warning to Onua Radio/TV and Captain Smart for broadcasting inciteful content.
In a press release dated Tuesday, November 14, 2023, and signed by Executive Secretary George Sarpong, the NMC stated: “Last week, your station carried an inciteful broadcast in which Captain Smart directly insulted the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and other Commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) as #beasts.”
Captain Smart claimed that the officers had taken money meant for soldiers serving in peacekeeping operations, but he offered no evidence to support his claims. “This was as dangerous as it was unprofessional,” the NMC declared.
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“You may recall that on December 8, 2022, we drew your attention to the use of your station to promote violence against the state and your management’s lack of capacity to address same. This was after we had written to your management on December 2, 2022,” it added.
“It is of concern to us that the behaviour persists after we drew the board’s attention. We are now compelled to come to the board again as a way of giving the company a last opportunity for internal gatekeeping.”
“We ask that you put in measures to stop the dangerous behaviour of the station and improve the station’s capacity for regulatory compliance. We also ask the station to withdraw the insults and apologise to the CDS and his commanders. We further ask the station to apologise to the Ghanaian public for the use of vulgar language.
“We expect you to undertake the above and present evidence of same to us before November 19, 2023 after which date you may hear further from the Commission,” the statement concluded.
