The National Media Commission (NMC), an independent body mandated with the responsibility of registering, regulating and monitoring activities of media houses has warned the management of Onua FM, Onua TV to perform its internal gatekeeping roles to avoid further action by the commission.
In a press statement dated Tuesday, November 14, 2023, signed and issued by the Executive Secretary, George Sarpong, the NMC said “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 the officers embezzled monies meant for soldiers on peacekeeping operations but offered no evidence to back his claims. “This was as dangerous as it was unprofessional,” the NMC stated.
“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 the 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.”
The commission further added, “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 asked the station to withdraw the insults and apologize to the CDS and his commanders. We further ask the station to apologize 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.
