Ghanaians who fail to pay their TV licence fees henceforth could face jail term after the country’s Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo set up special courts for dealing with such cases.
The special courts would be operating across Ghana’s ten regions and cases would be heard from January 4, according to local media.
A notice from the country’s head of judiciary said the special courts are to “sit every Thursday with effect from 4th January 2018 until otherwise directed,” and will sit from 8:30am to 4:00pm on the said day.
The TV licence fees charged by the government are to be paid by owners of television sets and dealers in the electronic gadget. The more TV sets one owns the more fees charged.
Dealers in television sets are required to pay GH¢5 (which is a little over $1) per month, while commercial license users are to pay GH¢3 (which is less than $1) per month for a television set.
Many Ghanaians have failed to pay their licence fees for years claiming the revenue accruing goes to the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). They have accused GBC of doing little to improve its programing but the state broadcaster has also argued that lack of funds has crippled many of its initiatives.
The Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Dr. Akuffo Anoff-Ntow, told Citi FM in Accra that the police will be involved in the collection of the fees.
“We made a formal appeal not only to the court but also to the IGP because we anticipated that we were going to hit a snag and some people will deliberately refuse to pay. So from where we sit I’m delighted at the fact that the Chief Justice has granted our request. What it means therefore is that, this is an encouragement for everybody to go and pay the television licence” Anoff-Ntow said.
There have been reactions on social media.
@benkoku I can PAy But WONT PAY TV Lience Fee . Its nnot about Affordability. Its about RELEVANCE in 2018 #CitiCBS @Citi973
— Charles W BROBBY (@eyetarzan) January 2, 2018
Me i go pay my Tv License,i Love Ghana ?? ….lawl
— LL Cool Ike (@ikejnr_23) January 2, 2018
So how can the gov’t manage to prosecute individuals who fail to pay their TV license in #ghana.
— Seth (@Sethbatsa) January 2, 2018
In my dear country Ghana, they charge TV license for installation and use of TV. If this simple nonsense can be coiled, then we know the kind of leadership we have. #IStandCorrected
— Paakofi Sinatra (@PaakofiSinatra) January 2, 2018
I will rather give out my TV than to pay TV license to @GBC_Ghana
That station still lives in the 80’s@ebony_reigns @S_OkudzetoAblak @sarkodie @tv3_ghana @utvghana @NAkufoAddo @joyonlineghana
— habib umar faruk (@ufhabib12) January 1, 2018
TV license is one of the biggest joke in Ghana.
— Largo Pesado (@thicknlong) January 1, 2018
Please keep your gifts….we’ve had too many gifts this season. This TV license thing really worry you guys….but stilllllll y3ntua…
— NetteyAsford (@Vanilla_Ey) January 1, 2018
Who is going to pay tv license in Ghana? Another opportunity to create and loot? We won’t pay. pic.twitter.com/SZ6tAoyLfv
— Stephen issaka (@Stephenissaka2) January 1, 2018
Source: Africafeeds.com
