Spare Us The Discordant Noise!

“You’re free to do whatever you want, but you should always take responsibility for the consequences of your choices in life” – Unknown.

I’m neither sick nor tired. Yet I’m sick and tired of the noise coming from the camp of the eagle-headed Umbrella. I’m sure same goes for many of my compatriots because it is a discordant noise.

Our ears have been inundated with so much noise from members of the Zu-za family for the past two weeks or so. Their cry is that two radio stations sympathetic to their cause have been shut down by the National Communications Authority (NCA). They do not deny infringing on the relevant regulations, yet they shamelessly continue to scream 'political witch-hunt'.

Political witch-hunt? Well, as I’ve said on many occasions in this very column, if you are a political witch or wizard, then be sure that you will be politically witch-hunted. For witches and wizards of any kind are not creatures to be toyed with or treated with kids' gloves.

Zu-za is not alone in the noise-making venture. Many so-called political neutrals have joined in the noise-making spree. One lawyer was heard screaming that one of the closed radio stations was a 'colossus' on the media landscape so the NCA shouldn’t have shut it down. So I ask: is it a colossus so it must be allowed to break the country’s law with impunity? Warped logic, indeed!

Is it not ironic that a lawyer who is supposed to uphold the country’s laws will speak like that? It is even more ironic to see Members of Parliament, who pass the laws we use in governing various aspects of our lives, get upset when the same laws are applied the same way they said we should apply them.

In effect, what the so-called media freedom agitators are telling us is that one can just go and buy machines, mount them and start broadcasting. In their confused minds, media freedom should be equated to jungle life, where laws and regulations do not apply. Can you imagine the chaos if all radio stations in Ghana decide that they won’t comply with any regulations in the name of guaranteed media freedom?

Time and again, you hear them arguing that the closure of the two radio stations flouts Article 165 of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees ‘freedom of the press’. But nowhere in the said Article does it guarantee freedom to shirk one’s responsibility in adhering to all regulations.

I do agree that some people may wonder if there are hidden political hands directing the NCA. But the truth of the matter is that the two pro Zu-za radio stations did shirk their responsibility of ensuring all their documentation was in order. So it is a futile effort to turn round to accuse others of their own irresponsible acts.

Certainly, the country will be heading into eternal abyss if we allow a radio station’s political affiliation to determine how the NCA deals with it. Whether colossus or not, all media houses must be treated equally to promote equity and safeguard the security of the state.

This country cannot be allowed to be destroyed on the altar of politics. The laws are written in black and white for all to see. We cannot allow media houses to flagrantly disregard the law only to ride on the back of their political masters and start crying wolf, citing the choking of media freedom as though freedom exists in the vacuum.

We cannot and should not condone any irresponsible media. The fact that you are a media house does not place you above any laws. It is a shame to neglect your responsibilities and then think you have the right to call others to order.

As for those planning to demonstrate in support of the irresponsible media houses, they can do so because it is their right. But my unsolicited counsel to them is to spare us the discordant noise and advise their darling radio stations to just do the right thing. For no amount of demonstrations can right the wrongs of the two erring radio stations.

I will be surprised if they heed my wise counsel because I know they’ve been infected with the dead-goat syndrome.

See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!