BY Grace Zigah
The Ashanti Regional Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly condemned the sudden closure of Wontumi Radio by the National Communications Authority (NCA). According to the group, this act is a direct attack on media freedom and a calculated attempt to silence the vibrant voice of the party’s grassroots.
A Household Name
Wontumi Radio, with stations in Kumasi, Accra, and Takoradi, has become a household name in Ghana and beyond.
The radio station provides jobs to many young people, serves as a platform for open political discourse, and amplifies the voices of ordinary Ghanaians.
Its closure has significant implications for the media landscape and those who depend on it.
Hypocrisy Allegations
The NPP Youth Wing has accused President John Dramani Mahama of hypocrisy, pointing out that he once condemned the closure of Radio Gold and other pro-NDC stations during his time in opposition.
The Youth Wing questions why the President is now presiding over the closure of Wontumi Radio, a station that gives a platform to the NPP and its grassroots base.
Condemnation of Harassment
The Ashanti Regional NPP Youth Wing has also condemned the use of state institutions to arrest, detain, and harass journalists, specifically mentioning the case of Akyemkwaa Nana Asare, a radio host at Wontumi Radio and TV.
The Youth Wing has served notice that they will resist every attempt to use state institutions as tools of political witch-hunting and oppression.
Call To Action
The NPP Youth Wing has called on all well-meaning Ghanaians, civil society groups, and lovers of democracy to join them in condemning this dangerous precedent.
They believe that democracy must not be sacrificed for partisan interest.
The Youth Wing’s Regional Organizer, Raphael Patrick Sarfo, has signed off on the statement, emphasizing the need to protect media freedom and democracy
