The National Media Commission (NMC) has extended its deadline for Onua TV/FM and Captain Smart to apologise for their inciteful broadcast to November 24, 2023.
In a press statement dated Tuesday, November 21, 2023, signed and issued by the Executive Secretary, George Sarpong, the NMC vowed to take undisclosed action against the station if they refused to heed the Friday deadline.
This comes after the Commission said 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.
“We are now compelled to come to the board again as a way of giving the company a last opportunity for internal gatekeeping,” the NMC stressed.
It also asked 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," the statement concluded.
However, Onua TV/FM, in its letter dated November 21, 2023, allegedly failed to address the directives of the commission.
So the NMC, in a statement issued on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, said, “We consider your letter a red herring strategy to avoid taking responsibility for your actions.”
“Yet we are prepared to extend our deadline to Friday, November 24, 2023, after which we may act without any further reference to you.”
