Mahama Unveils Plan to Scrap TV Licence for Broader Media Levy

Ghana's controversial television licence system may soon become history as President John Mahama announced plans to replace it with a more comprehensive public media levy.

The President revealed on Thursday during a visit to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation that his Cabinet is actively considering reforms that could fundamentally change how the country funds its public broadcasters. The move signals a potential end to the decades-old TV licence regime that has struggled with enforcement and revenue collection.

Speaking at GBC headquarters on January 8, President Mahama outlined his administration's thinking on transforming the current system into something more effective and far-reaching.

"There are a few suggestions we have concerning the so-called TV licence," the President disclosed. "And I think that our thinking is going in the same direction to amend that law to make it a public media levy of some sort."

The proposed shift represents more than just a name change. According to President Mahama, the new levy would cast a wider net with stronger revenue mobilization potential, addressing long-standing funding challenges that have hampered public broadcasters' operations.

Ghana's TV licence system has been plagued by enforcement difficulties and poor compliance rates for years. Many Ghanaians either don't know about the licence requirement or simply ignore it, leaving public broadcasters like GBC struggling with inadequate funding.

The President's proposed public media levy aims to solve these problems by creating a broader-based funding mechanism that would provide more consistent and reliable support for state media operations.

"I'm sure that with some of the suggestions we've got, you'll be able to raise the amount of funding that it brings in and make it better able to do your work," President Mahama told GBC officials during his visit.

The government isn't rushing the reforms through Parliament. President Mahama emphasized that the administration will follow a consultative process before making any legislative moves.

Once Cabinet completes its internal discussions on the proposed amendments, the government plans to engage with key stakeholders, particularly public media institutions like GBC, before submitting any bills to Parliament.

"When we're ready, we'll be discussing at Cabinet, but we'll discuss with you what our thinking is before we finally go to Parliament and amend the law," the President assured.

This approach suggests the government recognizes the sensitivity of media funding and wants buy-in from those who will be most affected by the changes.

The reforms carry significant implications for Ghana's media landscape. A more robust funding mechanism could enable GBC and other public broadcasters to improve their programming quality, upgrade equipment, expand coverage and better compete with private media houses.

President Mahama expressed confidence that the new system would significantly enhance the financial capacity of public broadcasters, allowing them to operate more efficiently and fulfill their public service mandate more effectively.

For years, GBC has grappled with financial constraints that have affected everything from staff salaries to production quality. A properly structured media levy could provide the stability needed for long-term planning and investment.

While the President didn't provide specific timelines for when the amendments would reach Parliament, his announcement indicates the reforms are a priority for his administration.

The success of any new levy system will depend heavily on its design, how it's collected, and whether it can avoid the enforcement challenges that plagued the TV licence regime.

Key questions remain: Will the levy be tied to electricity bills, telecommunications services, or another collection mechanism? How much will individuals or households pay? Will there be exemptions for low-income Ghanaians?

These details will likely emerge as Cabinet deliberations progress and stakeholder consultations begin. What's clear is that Ghana's approach to funding public broadcasting stands at a potential turning point, with the Mahama administration betting that a broader levy can succeed where the traditional TV licence has struggled.

For GBC and other public broadcasters, the promise of improved and more reliable funding offers hope for a stronger future in an increasingly competitive media environment. DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only. Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Source News Ghana. Report errors: markossourcegroup@gmail.com