Captain Smart has responded to NMC
Captain Smart was arrested for comments he made on his show
NCM following his [Captain Smart] arrest said he crossed the line
Blessed Godsbrain Smart, known popularly as Captain Smart, has vowed to speak to the powers that be over the ills of the country because free speech is never a crime.
Speaking on Friday, December 3, edition of his show, Onua Maakye, Captain Smart said, he will continue to speak even when nobody is willing to do so.
He alleges the organization known as the National Media Commission [NMC] is sick because the government of Ghana has been giving those at the helm of affairs some money to spend unnecessarily.
“Nana, I won’t set myself ablaze but I will talk. Listen, I will not set myself ablaze because I love this country but because I love this country, I will talk. If you are having a stomach upset because of this, then you will get an appendix. We will talk.
“Since when did free speech become a criminal offence?” he questioned.
“If every Ghanaian will shut up, I will never shut up. Listen, we did not vote for PDS, we did not go to the polls for you coming to tax Mobile Money [Momo], we did go to the polls so you appoint a no-nothing finance minister to collateralize virtually every other single fund in this country. Your Excellency, we did not vote for you to come and pay, your spouses, we did not vote for you to come and have a shower in the skies…
“Some organization somewhere known as NMC, you are sick; you are sick because the government is giving you some money to spend anyhow…and listen we will never shut up!” Captain Smart charged.
Background
Captain Smart, was accused of making some unsavoury pronouncements that compromise the peace and security in the country.
Following this, the NMC in a statement indicated that the host of “Onua Maakye” in his comments called for an insurrection against the state of Ghana and its institutions.
“This, by all standards, crosses the line of robust and critical broadcasting and transforms your radio station into a megaphone of war,” the Commission warned.
But Head of Station at Onua TV/ Onua FM, Bismark Nana Apianti in a press statement noted that the body supposed to ensure the promotion of freedom and independence of the media failed to comply with its settlement procedures prescribed by Act 449, 1993.
The Commission aside from breaching the law also misconstrued the outcry by Captain Smart against the E-levy as well as failed to exercise restraint and passed judgment in the shortest possible time.
“Most disturbing to us is how NMC, an independent body under Clause 167 of the 1992 Constitution and the National Media Commission Act, 1993 (Act 449) entrusted with ensuring the promotion of freedom and independence of the media will within 24 hours of the occurrence of the alleged broadcast and without just cause, write such a letter which seeks to pass “judgment” of an alleged wrong-doing on the part of Captain Smart, a journalist of Onua TV and Onua FM.
“Our position is that the NMC could only have come to this conclusion because it did not have the full benefit of the alleged broadcast as the said broadcast by Captain Smart was taken out of context.
“It is unfortunate for the NMC to prejudge and conclude on such a matter as contained in its letter without giving Captain Smart, Onua TV and Onua FM the opportunity to be heard,” Nana Apianti stated further.