Senior Programmes Officer for Freedom of Expression at the Media Foundation for West Africa, Muheeb Saeed, has raised concerns about the government institutions that led to the closure of the four radio stations in Bawku in the Upper East Region.

The NCA, in a statement dated February 24, 2024, said it has shut down Bawku FM, Source FM, Zahra FM, and Gumah FM in Bawku based on the advice of National Security.

It added that incendiary utterances of the panelists and presenters of the radio stations have contributed to the escalation of the Bawku conflict leading to loss of lives and property in the area.

According to Mr Saeed, while they support the decision to shut down the radio stations, they are concerned about the organisations which led the charge.

Speaking on JoyFM’s Midday News on February 26, he explained that the organisation which led the shutdown was headed by political appointees.

He asserts that although these closures were genuine, shortly, these same bodies might carry out similar closures, this time with some political influences.

“I think it is a decision in the right direction because the posture of the radio station involved was not helping the peace-building efforts in Bawku and therefore we endorse the closure.

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“Our issue with the fact that the National Communication Authority acting in context with the national security are the two organisations that decided to carry out that exercise and our concern stems from the fact that these bodies government institutions with heads that are appointed by the President with political interest and so if we allow them to get into the arena of enforcing professional standards and ethics we are not always going to get it right,” he said.

Source: Connielove Mawutornyo Dzodzegbe