NCA,NMC sign MOU to regulate media content in Ghana

The Memorandum of Cooperation seeks to ensure that electronic communications content complies with basic legal and ethical standards within the overall constitutional guarantee of free expression.

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The National Communications Authority(NCA) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the National Media Commission(NMC) and other stakeholders on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, on the regulation of Electronic Communications Content.

The Memorandum of Cooperation seeks to ensure that electronic communications content complies with basic legal and ethical standards within the overall constitutional guarantee of free expression.

At a short ceremony in Accra, the Chairman of the NMC, Mr.Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, said that in regulating the media space specifically content, both the NMC and NCA are handicapped in their powers.

 “The NMC, by law can only recommend, discuss or advise whilst the NCA is mandated to regulate the technical operations of broadcasters. As a result, it has become necessary for a memorandum or mechanism to be implemented for institutions to rely on each other without undermining the rule of law…,” he said.

The Director-General of the NCA, Mr.Joe Anokye, Said the NCA is excited that a framework of cooperation has been executed for all stakeholders regarding content regulation.

“The NCA has punitive powers under the law but does not have the mandate to regulate content. Per Section 13 of Act 775, the NCA can suspend or revoke the frequency authorization, where it is in the public interest or because of National Security.

“So upon recommendation of the NMC, the NCA can legally apply sanctions. The key here is that if we work collaboratively together then the NMC knowing that the media content is not what it is supposed to be can work with the NCA based on the law that empowers the NCA to be able to apply the necessary sanctions,” Mr Anokye said.

He further stated that the Authority has established the Broadcasting Monitoring System(BMS) in all its offices across the country, as part of the Government’s digitization agenda to monitor the key performance indicators as stipulated in the Broadcasting Authorisation.

The Minister for information, who was the guest speaker, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said that following some media content infractions which caused a publication uproar earlier this year, there was the need for stakeholders to examine and strategize to monitor content in the electronic media space.

“Though I appreciate that these infractions still exist, the signing of this Memorandum will ensure sanity in the media space going forward”

He further urged the NMC to rely on the NCA’s BMS for information, enhance their complaints system and procure, and in the interest of transparency, publish decisions by warning broadcasters or redrawing their authorizations.

Hon. Nkrumah also encouraged the Ghanaian citizenry to report any content deem deviant to the NMC for investigation and subsequent punitive actions to be taken.

Other signatories were; Mr Ronald Affail Monney, President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mrs Gloria Hiadzi, Executive Secretary, Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Colonel Aggrey-Quarshie, Director, Public Relations, Ghana Armed Forces and Mr Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).