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National Media Commission begs govt to bail GBC over GH¢25m electricity bill debt

The state broadcaster, <a href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/news/local/media-commission-goes-wild-on-fear-mongering-prophets-on-radio/sch33jn" link="null" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ghana Broadcasting Corporatio</a>n (GBC) and its many outlets across the country may go off-air if the company's indebtedness to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is not paid to the power distributor.
Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh with Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah
Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh with Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah

The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, has called for the intervention of the government to enable GBC to pay GH¢25 million electricity bill.

The NMC boss at a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, said the GH¢25 million debt owed the ECG by GBC had dire consequence also for National Security Council if not paid immediately.

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He said as a country, "we still need a public service broadcaster and the GBC is best suited to play that role if it is enabled and given the needed capacity to do so."

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According to him, his outfit had already initiated the processes to make GBC a public service broadcaster by setting up a committee to work with the Ministry of Information to look at how to restructure GBC and make it the public service.

GBC

GBC

He, however, indicated that lack of funding was dragging the process and therefore appealed to the President and his government to help address the problem.

"One of the things that affect the GBC is the question of electricity bill because of the numerous stations that it has across the country. They play strategic roles… We, therefore, thought we should bring it before you so we can collectively look at what we can do about this," he added.

On the part of the President, he has directed the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to as a matter of urgency facilitate the payment of the GBC debt owed the ECG.

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"Mr. Minister, these [GHc25 million debt of electricity bills]are all matters that you have to look at… And the sooner we can settle them in a satisfactory way so that they can do their work, the better for the growth of our country and its democracy," Nana Addo said.

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