Ursula Owusu-Ekuful - Minister of Communications

Ursula to meet GIBA over DTT and StarTimes brouhaha on Thurs

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Sep - 24 - 2018 , 11:26 2 minutes read

The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has agreed to meet with the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) to address concerns on the StarTimes satellite TV project and the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform.

In a radio interview on Accra based Peace FM, Monday morning, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said she would be available on Thursday at 2pm at the Ministry of Communications for the meeting.

GIBA has expressed concerns with how the Ministry intends to roll out the DTT and objected to the agreement between the government and StarTimes, dubbed Access to Satellite TV for 300 Villages in Ghana which will benefit 6,000 households.

According to GIBA, the 300 community TV project which would be launched in Accra on Wednesday will be conflicting with a roadmap for Ghana’s Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) migration.

GIBA has consequently accused the Ministry of offering a “sweetheart” deal to Chinese television station StarTimes.

Public concerns are that, if care was not taken, China through StarTimes, may end up bombarding Ghanaians with Chinese content as part of a grand scheme by China to take over Africa, economically.

Responding to the concerns in separate radio and television interviews last week and over the weekend, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said GIBA cannot dictate to government.

Describing the concerns as alarmist, the Minister said her unwillingness to engage GIBA was because she does not really understand what the concerns of GIBA were.

Appearing on Peace’s FM ‘Kokrokoo’ programme with Kwami Sefa Kayi Monday morning, Sefa Kayi managed to convince her to schedule a meeting with GIBA on Thursday, September 28, to deliberate on the issue.

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh

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