The Ministry of Communications has announced that issuance of digital broadcasting license will begin in March, 2011. This follows Cabinet’s approval of recommendations of a technical committee that was set up to facilitate Ghana’s migration from analogue to digital broadcasting. According to the Ministry, a national digital migration implementation body will be set up by the end of this month to facilitate a cost-effective and timely migration from analogue to digital broadcasting within a space of three years. Speaking to Joy Business News, Minster of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu said the government is hoping to complete the migration by 2014, a year before the international deadline for digital broadcast migration. “For 2011, new licenses will be issued for television, digital television licenses and existing licenses may be renewed subject to the payment of appropriate fees and meeting other technical requirements that the NCA [National Communications Authority] may determine,” he said. Mr Iddrisu also stated that his outfit will begin the construction of transmitters across the country, especially in the regional and urban areas “so that Ghana could complete the process by the end of 2014, one year ahead of the international telecoms deadline of 2015”. The Minister of Communications also indicated government’s preparedness to prevent the dumping of analogue components from other countries. He said they have made a passionate appeal to the international community not to make Ghana a dumping ground of electronic waste. Source: Joy Business Report/Ghana