The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Sam Nartey George, has strongly criticised the National Communications Authority (NCA) for what he termed the reckless and excessive issuance of over 600 radio frequency authorisations across Ghana.
Speaking during a televised interview on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday night, April 14, 2025, Sam George expressed concern over the saturation of Ghana’s radio broadcasting space, stating that the sheer volume of approved frequencies is counterproductive to the industry’s sustainability and development.
“We’ve mismanaged the distribution of frequency authorisations. For a country like Ghana, having more than 600 frequency licenses is not only excessive but harmful to the growth of the media business,” he noted.
Sam George emphasized that, if given the mandate without political interference, he would significantly downsize the number of operational radio stations to fewer than 100.
He, however, admitted that such a move could be politicised and misinterpreted by critics.
“If it were up to me alone, I would restructure the entire system and reduce the number to under 100. But the next thing you’ll hear is that Sam George is closing down radio stations,” he added.
The Minister further lambasted many current license holders, accusing them of failing to operate as bona fide broadcast entities.
According to him, a large number of these stations lack originality, serving instead as repeaters for syndicated political programmes and recycled news content.
“There must be clear expectations for what qualifies as a functioning radio station. Many of the authorised stations don’t produce original content. They simply air political discussions and rebroadcast existing news bulletins,” he observed.
To tackle this, he proposed the implementation of strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess the quality and functionality of licensed broadcasters.
He argued that access to the national radio spectrum should be reserved for entities meeting these clear operational benchmarks.
“We must establish firm KPIs. We cannot continue distributing frequencies haphazardly,” he insisted.
Sam George’s remarks signal a potential overhaul of Ghana’s broadcast regulation policies, with his Ministry poised to champion a more merit-based and efficient system of spectrum management.
He also disclosed that 57 radio stations are currently at risk of having their authorisations revoked due to various regulatory violations.
