The National Communications Authority Hosts Ethiopian Delegation on Study Visit
The National Communications Authority Hosts Ethiopian Delegation on Study Visit
The National Communications Authority (NCA), on Monday, 30th January, 2017, welcomed an Ethiopian delegation on a study visit to the Authority. The meeting was held at the Boardroom of the NCA Tower in Accra. The main objective of the study tour was to give the delegation the opportunity to learn about the Authority’s regulatory activities. The four member delegation was led by Mrs. Freyhiloot Nadew. They were accompanied by two representatives from Farm Radio, Ghana. Ethiopia has 44 radio stations including 10 community radio stations.
In his welcome remarks, the Ag. Director General, Mr. Joe Anokye, expressed his appreciation to the delegation for recognising the Authority’s impact and regulatory efforts within the communication industry. He added that the visit would afford both parties the opportunity to foster a beneficial relationship.
Mr. Anokye outlined the roles and benefits of Community radios in the communication industry from its impact on socio-development to the dissemination of information and educational support as is done with campus radios which is another authorisation under community radios.
He spoke of the importance the Authority attaches to engagements with the Ghana Community Radio Networks which have enabled NCA to be privy to some of the challenges the group faces in terms of managing the stations, competition from the commercial radio stations and their various requests for more authorisations for community radio stations.
He went further to highlight the Authority’s major challenge with Community Radios concerning their gradual attempts to transform from community radios to commercial stations with the addition of local languages and development of local initiatives. He hoped that through continuous engagements these issues would become a thing of the past.
Mrs. Nana Defie Badu, Director of the Consumer and Corporate Affairs Division of the Authority, made a presentation on the activities and roles of the Authority within the communication sector.
Other areas of discussion at the meeting centred around the benefits of Community radios such as providing teaching supports, tools for social development. Furthermore the meeting expressed concerns for research practices and findings on community radios, capacity building and financial sustainability of the stations without external funding.
The meeting was informed that the Authority had embarked on a Consumer survey and the results would be made available on the Authority’s website soon.
The delegation on their part spoke on the problems community radios face in their country concerning inferior or poor standard equipment such as transmitters and antennas and the difficulties in reaching the citizenry within certain localities due to the terrain.
The Ag Director General ended the first session by presenting cultural gifts to the visitors.
The Authority continually receives visitors from other countries on benchmarking visits.
Issued by the National Communications Authority,
NCA Tower,
No. 6 Airport City, Accra.
Tel: (0)30 – 2776621/2771701 or 050-145-1522/3.
E-mail: info@localhost
Date – Monday, 30th January, 2017
Editor’s Note
About NCA
The National Communications Authority, (NCA), was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 524 in December 1996, which has been repealed and replaced by the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769). The Authority is the statutory body mandated to license and to regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.
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