The National Communications Authority (NCA) has been accused of “monetizing free speech” after its imposed sweeping sanctions on 131 radio stations in the country.

The NCA’s sanctions, which ranged from fines to total revocation of licenses, come in the wake of its completion of a nationwide FM Spectrum Audit.

READ MORE: NCA names radio stations whose licenses have been revoked

Reacting to the development, the Minority spokesperson on communications, A.B.A Fuseini, decried the sanctions as monetizing free speech.

In a statement, he said, radio has become a foremost means of expression by large sections of Ghanaians since the liberalisation of the airwaves in the fourth republic.

“Regulatory enforcement ought to be undertaken in a reasonable manner that factors in the fragilities inherent in the operations of many radio stations.," he said.

READ MORE: NCA to shut down Montie FM and Radio Gold?

“The current revocation and sanctions regime appears to be monetizing the right to free expression and could be construed as an effort to exact retribution particularly against stations that have traditionally been ideologically opposed to the current NPP administration."