Monrovia, Liberia —At least 17 radio stations are operating illegally in Liberia, as declared by the Liberia Telecommunication Authority.
In a recent press conference, Abdullai Kamara, the head of the Acting Board of Commissioners at the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), raised concerns about non-compliance among radio stations regarding frequency payment and frowns on radio stations operating totally outside of the law.
“There is, however, a more disturbing group,” Kamara iterated, adding; “we have a second list of radio stations currently operating right now in Montserrado County that have never ever been registered whatsoever.”
Compliance Snapshot
Among all radio stations in Montserrado County, only ten remain fully compliant with LTA regulations. Kamara noted, “The list has 53 stations listed in Montserrado County alone; only 10 are in compliance, 2 more have their applications pending.”
Notably, prominent stations such as ELBC, Freedom FM, and OK FM are among those facing issues. Also, Punch FM, reportedly owned by one of the acting commissioners, Patrick Honnah, is also listed as non-compliant.
To be compliant a station must have a permit from the Information Ministry and a frequency assigned from the LTA. Additionally, the entity must have a current business registration and tax clearance. These fifty-three radio stations were previously granted licenses by the LTA. However, some of their current status reveals a lack of adherence to payment obligations.
Resource Misuse
Kamara emphasized that these stations have allowed their payments to lapse, effectively utilizing government resources without proper authorization. Such non-compliance poses challenges to the regulatory framework and equitable distribution of frequencies.
The LTA urges non-compliant stations to rectify their status promptly to avoid potential penalties or license revocation. Ensuring compliance is essential for a fair and efficient broadcasting landscape in Liberia.
The LTA faces a tenure crisis. Following President Joseph Boakai’s inauguration, he replaced several officials in tenured positions, including those at the LTA. However, this decision sparked criticism, with some attributing the dismissals to the president’s inner circle orchestrating an “illegal dismissal”.
Later, after a Supreme Court opinion went against his attempt to forcibly remove commissioners, President Boakai suspended all five LTA commissioners, including Chairperson Madam Edwina C. Zackpah.
The situation highlights tensions around tenure and accountability within the authority. All of the commissioners at the LTA are acting with pundits questioning their legitimacy to enforce the regulations on the non-compliant radio stations.
