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04.03.2013 Editorial

Welcome Relief

By Daily Guide
Welcome Relief
04.03.2013 LISTEN

Maybe the authorities at the National Communications Authority (NCA) have now appreciated the wisdom in halting or suspending the selective jamming of the transmissions of radio stations, especially Oman FM, under a democracy.

If that is the case, then we consider it a welcome development, not a favour for the people of Ghana, though, we wish to add. Democracy in Ghana would have suffered a major setback had the anomalous and outlandish action continued.

We are grateful that in the end, decency has prevailed and the many listeners of Oman, the main target of the 'jam their transmissions' policy, and above all cherishers of democracy, can heave a sigh of relief; we pray that in the interest of the nation and democracy, it is not going to be a short-lived relief.

We all have a role to play in nurturing this nascent democracy of ours, and regardless of subtle machinations by state agents to gag those whose views are considered outlandish and, therefore, unwelcome, freedom of expression has come to stay in the country.

It is against this fact that we view attempts at putting impediments in the way of this freedom as not only unwise but reckless and unproductive in the long-run.

Even if one dissents with a political stance, resorting to physical attacks and using state resources to thwart freedom of expression is a breach of the Constitution and one which has no place among the comity of the politically civilised.

At the height of the jamming of the station's transmissions, many wondered whether the President was aware of what was happening, given his background as a communications specialist with an obvious understanding of the nuances of media operations and their effects.

It was beyond the ken of many who sought to understand why anybody in government would even decide on this crazy line of action. It has failed woefully and, ironically, rather strengthened the resolve of the radio station to do even more.

As for their many listeners, their opprobrium for the state-supported action could best be imagined.

We found the denial by the authorities at the NCA that they were not responsible for the interference with the radio station's transmissions scary, considering its statutory role over radio frequencies.

We began to ask whether individual persons in government could have imported into the country a gadget for the jamming operations with the authority of the national security apparatus, but on the blind side of the President.

Mr President may not have known what was happening, but freedom of expression could never have been so threatened under his administration.

The Mahama administration may disagree with the editorial stance of some media establishments, but that is democracy and those at the helm or in the kitchen and suffering the heat thereof must either put up or shut up.

We do not want to believe that Mr President had a hand in the jamming operations because he cannot tolerate political chasms. Given his communications background, we would be hard put to it to believe that he did.

Whether it was so or not, he has the authority to order a stoppage of the obnoxious act which casts a gloomy cloud over his democratic credentials.

It is a truism that no policy of cowing dissenting voices into submission veiled or palpable has ever succeeded and Mr. President knows better than many about this fact.

Only time will tell whether the selective jamming of radio transmissions is a government authorised policy to be visited on probing radio stations or not.

We live to see.

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