The management of Gumah FM has announced plans to petition the National Media Commission (NMC) over the recent shutdown of the station.
The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations on Tuesday, February 19, ordered the closure of several media organizations operating without valid frequency authorization, including Gumah FM.
A directive signed by the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, instructed the station to cease operations, citing allegations that its broadcasts incited violence in Bawku, a town plagued by long-standing conflict.
Speaking to Citi News on Thursday, February 20, the General Manager of Gumah FM, Nurudeen Gumah stated that the station will first write to the National Communications Authority (NCA) to ascertain the exact reason for its closure. If unsatisfied with the response, management intends to escalate the matter to the courts.
“We are going to write to the National Communication Authority about the reason behind them shutting us down, we will also petition the National Media Commission to look into the matter, on whether they have other options for us now.
“If we are not satisfied with the outcome then we have no other option than to go to the court.”
Meanwhile, the station’s management has described the shutdown as “politically motivated” and has demanded that the ministry provide evidence of any wrongdoing.
“We just saw a letter that they are closing us down, that is why we believe that they need to provide us with evidence because we do our programmes and record them with disclaimers, so if they have sighted a specific thing that we have done, that they believe is inciting violence or hate speech, then it becomes necessary for them to make the evidence available to us, that you have done this so we have to shut you down, but they have not done that and I sincerely believe that it is either a political witch hunt or somebody somewhere wants Gumah FM shut down.”