GIBA’s ‘ugly noises’ on DTT politically motivated – Ken Agyapong

The outspoken Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has waded into the public debate on the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and the StarTimes deal.

According to Mr Agyapong, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association's (GIBA) move against the Ministry of Communications was “politically motivated.”

Contributing to a radio discussion on Adom FM’s morning show on Tuesday via telephone, Mr Agyapong alleged that GIBA was being used by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to frustrate the Akufo-Addo government.

Mr Agyapong, who is the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Communications explained that, because the government was not interested in offering the phase 2 contract of the DTT to K-Net, which is owned by someone linked to the NDC, it is using GIBA to fight its case.

He claimed that K-Net, for instance, has been sabotaging his Net2 TV since 2009, by removing the tv station from the digital platform.

He said when Net2 had a meeting with K-Net to enquire, they explained that their systems could not host Net2.

Mr Agyapong claimed that it was only after NPP came to power in 2017 that Net2 TV found space on the digital platform after he had reiterated his complaint.

“I will expose GIBA; we are trying to solve the problem but you are creating the impression as if Ursula has taken the job from K-Net, why,” Ken Agyapong asked.

“I don’t have a problem with whoever gets the contract but what is GIBA’s interest", he questioned.

As chairman of the communications committee of Parliament, he said he had restrained himself not to comment on the matter because of his bias against K-Net on how it treated Net2 TV but since the conversation was being "twisted" for it to look like the government was sidelining a Ghanaian company in favour of a Chinese company.