The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has condemned what he described as a ‘brazen assault’ on Ghana’s constitutional order following President John Mahama’s directive to the National Communications Authority (NCA) to halt enforcement actions against 64 non-compliant radio stations.
He accused the Presidency of undermining the independence of statutory bodies, warning that the executive action “threatens the very foundations of Ghana’s constitutional democracy.”
“The President has declared that regulatory law is optional when it conflicts with his political preferences. This is not about media policy. It is about defending the rule of law and the constitutional separation of powers,” the Minority Leader said. “
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Minority Leader insisted that the Authority’s enforcement was both lawful and necessary.
The NCA had taken action against dozens of radio stations operating without valid licences, citing clear violations of the Electronic Communications Act.
Afenyo-Markin cited Section 2(1) of the Act, which prohibits operation without authorisation, and Section 73(3), which empowers the NCA to suspend, terminate, or otherwise act against offenders.
“These are not policy suggestions; they are the binding law of the Republic. The President has no authority under the law or the 1992 Constitution to override such decisions,” Afenyo-Markin asserted.
Afenyo-Markin warned that the move could embolden future executive encroachments, undermining critical oversight institutions across the governance spectrum.
The Minority Leader outlined five urgent steps he said are necessary to protect Ghana’s democracy: Formal condemnation of the President’s directive; Immediate reversal of the unconstitutional instruction; Strict enforcement of statutory compliance by affected media houses; Clear boundaries established between executive authority and regulatory bodies and Independent investigation into the decision-making process behind the directive.
Afenyo-Markin stressed, “Defending regulatory independence transcends partisan interest. The real question is: will Ghana defend its Constitution, or will it watch in silence as executive power erodes institutional independence?”
Meanwhile, the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, addressing Parliament earlier on the closures explained that President Mahama’s directive was issued to prevent “disruption of media operations” and promote dialogue.
The affected stations, he said, have been granted a month grace period to regularize their operations after which the the NCA will resume its punitive action.