Suspension of Radio Stations Was Lawful, Not Politically Biased – Sam George

Minister for Communications, Sam Nartey George, has dismissed claims that the recent suspension of several radio stations was politically influenced.

In an interview on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, April 15, the Ningo Prampram MP emphasized that the action taken by the National Communications Authority (NCA) was strictly within legal bounds and not based on political affiliations or media ownership.

“Out of the six stations affected, three are linked to individuals associated with the opposition NDC,” he said. “If this were politically motivated, why would I shut down stations owned by people from my own party’s opposition?”

He further clarified that he did not initially know the identities of the station owners when initiating the review process. “I only asked for the names of the companies with outstanding issues, not who owns them,” he explained.

Sam George also highlighted what he described as a recurring behavior in Ghana’s political landscape, where individuals try to use their status to influence legal outcomes. “People came to plead, as is common in Ghana,” he said. “That’s when I found out how high-profile some of them were. But to me, status doesn’t matter—the law must be applied fairly.”

Reaffirming his commitment to due process, he noted, “I may not hold much weight in people’s eyes, but I believe the law should apply equally to everyone, no matter their influence.”

He also revealed that Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), was invited to the Ministry for a detailed explanation. “I presented him with facts on the six suspended stations and showed him documents on 53 other cases,” he noted, adding that the MFWA gained clarity on the government’s stance and has since refrained from further criticism.

Looking ahead, the Minister stated that he would be addressing Parliament soon to present all the necessary documentation to prove that the NCA’s actions were impartial and lawful.

“Once I’ve laid out the facts in Parliament, people will see that this isn’t about politics,” he said. “It’s about applying the law evenly. It’s not fair for one station to comply with regulations while another, simply because of who owns it, gets a pass.”

He concluded by reaffirming the government’s respect for press freedom. “This isn’t about muzzling the media—it’s about ensuring accountability.”