A community-based radio station at Ada in the Greater Accra Region has shut down temporarily after an armed invasion by unknown assailants on Thursday, January 13, 2022.
Management of Radio Ada says the shutdown will enable repair works on damaged equipment.
Unknown persons invaded the premises of the radio station, assaulted a presenter, and destroyed some of the station’s machines.
“The attackers, one of whom was armed with a pistol, invaded the on-air studio by forcibly destroying its door open. They beat up the presenter and vandalised the on-air studio equipment, leading to the temporary shut-down of Radio Ada,” management of the station said in a statement.
The radio station said panellists were discussing the Songhor Lagoon project.
The project has for years become a source of controversy as residents say new management of the project is preventing indigenes from mining salt.
READ ALSO: High Court rules on ACP Agordzo’s interdiction today
At peak levels, the lagoon is able to produce 250 metric tonnes of salt, but that potential has dwindled over the years due to privately owned dykes.
Salt mining activities by some of the private firms are also destroying the landscape of the communities around the lagoon.
Read a statement issued by the management of Radio Ada below.
STATEMENT ON THE VIOLENT ATTACK ON RADIO ADA ON 13 JANUARY 2022
1. The Management of Radio Ada 93.3 FM wishes to inform its esteemed listening community that the station was violently attacked by a group of eight men today, Thursday, 13th January 2022 at about 11:30 a.m.
2. The attackers, one of whom was armed with a pistol, invaded the on-air studio by forcibly destroying its door open. They beat up the presenter and vandalised the on-air studio equipment, leading to the temporary shut-down of Radio Ada.
3. Two Radio Ada staff together with visitors to the station were held hostage during the attack.
4. The attackers openly declared that they had come to vandalise the station because of its Manor Munyu and other programmes discussing the recent developments in the Songhor. They threatened to inflict further havoc should the station continue with programmes on the Songor.
5. The matter has been reported to the Big Ada police who came to take inventory of the damaged equipment.
6. The presenter who was beaten up has since been sent to the Ada East District Hospital for treatment.
7. The attack has been reported to the National Media Commission (NMC).
8. This announcement is being made to ensure that the facts of the attack are reported accurately and timeously. This announcement, interspersed with music, will be the only broadcast that Radio Ada will be making today.
9. The station will shut down for a few days from tomorrow to enable it to review and repair the extent of the damage caused.
10. Our listening community may be assured that Radio Ada will thereafter continue to broadcast and that its commitment to inform and to give voice to the Dangme community, particularly those least voiced, remains unchanged.