Pro-NPP Pressure group, AFAG, has called on the government of Ghana to consider privatizing the state broadcaster, GBC in order to accrue funds to run its day to day affairs of the corporation.
The comment by the group Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), follows the decision by the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, to set up special courts to prosecute persons who refuse to pay the mandatory TV Licence.
Per the statement signed by the secretary of the Judicial Service, Justice Alex Poku-Acheampong, stated that the Special Court will sit every Thursday with effect from today January 4, 2018, until otherwise directed.
However, in a release by AFAG, they stated that “Ghanaians will not be bullied into paying this fee†adding that AFAG will resist any attempt to surcharge smartphone users with TV license fees.â€
It said it remained resolute in its position that the demand for TV license from Ghanaians was wrong and must not be pursued by the government.
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“AFAG is totally opposed to a TV license regime from an obsolete Television licensing ACT 1966 (NLCD)†the statement noted.
The statement added that “Be it as it may, we expect the government to explore ways of resourcing the state broadcaster either wholly by the state as stated earlier or through all forms of public-private partnerships as we move GBC to a very independent status. The government may also consider a private management of GBC.â€
The Pro-NPP group also asserted that the state broadcaster is “endowed with land mass, infrastructure, human resources, logistics and wide coverage of its network. Why is GBC struggling financially? Mr President if the daily graphic among its competitors remains autonomous and self-funding, then GBC can copy same in the midst of competition.â€
Meanwhile, the Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation has been cited for contradicting the position of the Television licensing ACT 1966 that warrants collection of the fee.
The Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Dr Akuffo Annor-Ntow in an attempt to clear the air, explained that the license is to cover content and not ownership of TV sets.
What is TV Licence
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation GBC early this year resumed and revised fees for TV license after it was suspended for more than two decades.
Domestic TV users are to pay between GH¢36 and GH¢60 for one or more TV sets in a household while TV set repairers and sales outlets are to pay an annual sum of between GHc60 to GHc240.
Attempts to charge Ghanaians for owning television sets have not been successful, but the creation of the specialcourt will bolster such efforts in the future.
Section 1(a) of Television Licensing (Amendment) Law, 1991 states as follows: “Any person who contravenes any provision of this law or regulation shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year.â€
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Who will benefit from TV Licence
The Revenue that will be accrued will be shared in percentage terms among Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), 72%, Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), 15%, National Media Commission (NMC), 4%, Media Development Fund, 4%, Films Fund, 2% and Management of TV Licence Fee (GBC), 3%.
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primenewsghana.com/Ghana News