Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George is accusing government of trying to privatize the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) with its directive for the state broadcaster to reduce the number of channels it has on the DDT platform.

According to the MP who is also a member of Parliament’s Communications Committee, the move is the first step in a ‘renewed’ attempt to close down the state broadcaster through the back door.

“Last year we saw an attempt to take away the kid's educational channel and give to another private entity. GBC had to go to the National Media Commission to reverse that decision.

"So this is not the first time the Communications Ministry under Ursula Owusu is trying to take away GBC’s channels,” he said on Joy FM's Top Story Tuesday.

Communications Ministry under the leadership of Ursula Owusu Ekuful Tuesday directed GBC to reduce the number of channels it is operating on the National Digital Terrestrial Television platform.

In the letter signed by the Minister, the move is to ensure there is redundancy on the National DTT platform which is currently at full capacity and make way for other channels including those government intends to broadcast information about "Covid-19 and issues of national interest."

But reacting to the move, the Ningo Prampram MP insists this an attempt to clamp down and privatize the state broadcaster.

“If government has any information it needs to broadcast, it needs to do that using the state broadcaster. What is happening is just an attempt to clamp down and privatize GBC through the back door.

“What’s going to happen to the staffs who work at the other three channels? Are they going to be redundant or are they going to be maintained on the booth which? This would mean that you have doubled the staff you need and then they [the government] will later turn around and tell us that GBC is bleeding and for that reason we need to sell GBC,” he said.

He further indicated that the Communications Committee in Parliament will summon the Information Ministry to respond to the said “illegality.”

“I will invoke the powers of the committee and I know I have the support of my ranking member Hon. AB Fuseini on this.

"We will invoke the powers of the Committee to summon the Ministry of Information that has oversized responsibility of the GBC to draw to the attention the illegality being perpetuated on an agency of their by the Ministry of Communications,” he added.   

Meanwhile, GBC has indicated it cannot grant the request of the Ministry.