NMC issues final warning to Onua Radio/TV and Captain Smart

The National Media Commission (NMC) has issued a final warning to Onua Radio/TV and Captain Smart over an inciteful broadcast.

In a press statement dated Tuesday, November 14, 2023, the NMC said that Captain Smart had directly insulted the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and other Commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) as “beasts” during a recent broadcast.

The NMC further stated that Captain Smart had claimed that these officers embezzled monies meant for soldiers on peacekeeping operations, but had offered no evidence to support his claims.

The NMC described the broadcast as “dangerous” and “unprofessional.” It also noted that it had warned Onua Radio/TV about promoting violence against the state in December 2022, but that the station had not taken steps to address the issue.

The NMC gave Onua Radio/TV and Captain Smart until November 19, 2023, to:

• – Withdraw the insults and apologize to the CDS and his commanders
• – Apologize to the Ghanaian public for the use of vulgar language
• – Put in measures to stop the dangerous behaviour of the station and improve the station’s capacity for regulatory compliance

Below is the full statement

FINAL CAUTION AGAINST INCITEFUL BROADCAST

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.” He claimed the officers embezzle monies meant for soldiers on peacekeeping operations but offered no evidence to back his claims.

This was as dangerous as it was unprofessional.

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 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.

Yours faithfully