By: Belinda Nketia
Two political figures have called on Ghanaians to rally behind the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and support efforts to secure sustainable funding for the state broadcaster. They argue that GBC’s national importance demands innovative financing beyond the contentious TV licence system.
Speaking on news and current affair programme ‘Focus’ on GBC on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, the Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamal-deen Abdulai, said the state broadcaster remains a vital national asset.
He, dismissed the idea of reviving the TV licence scheme as a means of revenue generation, saying, “With all due respect, I think the idea of raising revenue through the TV licences is not it. For me, it’s not working well here in Ghana. Why can’t we think out of the box?”
Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamal-deen Abdulai suggested a dedicated levy, similar to those funding the GETFund and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which would be channelled directly into GBC’s operations.
He urged government to make a formal case through the appropriate ministry, explaining that such a levy could be collected into the Consolidated Fund and allocated to equip the Corporation. He also called for improved maintenance and a stronger development attitude among staff to sustain the broadcaster’s operations.
Member of Parliament for Afadzato South, Frank Afriyie, also underscored the need to turn the current funding challenges into opportunities for institutional growth. “Out of adversity comes opportunity. Clearly the standoff as we are witnessing is telling us something,” he said.
For his part, the Member of Parliament for Afadzato South, Mr Frank Afriyie proposed that GBC explores partnerships with service providers, noting that in other jurisdictions, state institutions sign strategic deals to boost service delivery. “Given your rich human resource, your asset base and everything, we need to leverage these things to ensure that we build a very formidable state institution that will give us quality in service delivery,” he added.
The ongoing national debate over DSTV subscription fees has sparked calls for the government to adequately equip the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to deliver quality, accessible services as a reliable public alternative.
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has maintained his demand for a 30% price cut by August 7, 2025, and has warned of a possible suspension of DSTV’s licence over what he described as unfair pricing compared to other countries.
MultiChoice Ghana has rejected the directive, citing threats to service quality and jobs.
