GBC Boss On His Way Out Over TV License Brouhaha

The governing board of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has asked the Director-General of the Corporation, Dr. Akuffo Annor-Ntow to proceed on leave with immediate.

The directive according to the Board Chairman of GBC, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Addo-Obeng, was agreed upon on Monday, January 15, 2018.

He explained in an interview on Radio Ghana that the decision was because of the Director-General's handling of the TV license issue.

He said the National Media Commission, has been duly notified of the directive.

Dr. Annor-Ntow had come under fire for getting the Chief Justice to set up some 11 courts nationwide to prosecute defaulters of TV license fees.

The expected prosecution of defaulters was subsequently suspended following an earlier directive by the GBC board.

When asked how long the Director General is supposed to be on leave, Professor Addo-Obeng said “All this will depend on consultation with NMC.”

“We are going to immediately engage NMC to discuss a whole lot of issues affecting GBC and the future of the state broadcaster,”he added.

According to the GBC Board Chairman, one board member and two directors of the GBC are supposed to steer the affairs of the state broadcaster until the issues are ironed out.

“We have put an interim management committee in place with a board member and two directors of GBC to hold the fort while this consultation goes on,” he added.

Divisional Union Chairman of GBC, Michael Allotey, who also spoke on Radio Ghana's Behind the News programme seemed unhappy with the directive by the board but called for calm.

“As a Union we need to engage our people urging them to take it calm because it is a board decision but we will meet properly to tell the world our position. I also take this opportunity to urge workers to remain calm.”

“Except that sometimes it is challenging because the question is after DG what next? GBC has a problem and it has to be solved. I think it is time the nation decides what to do with the national broadcaster. It is either they keep it as a private entity or we continue to keep on the focus as a national broadcaster,” he added.