The National Media Commission (NMC) has directed two radio stations in Kumasi to cease and refrain from mutual altercations, insinuations, aspersions and innuendo cast against each other in their programmes.
According to a statement issued by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the NMC, Alexander Bannerman, both stations “are equally to cease reducing issues to personal vendetta, attacks and denigration since such acts are unethical and unprofessional.”
The directive followed a complaint lodged by Alpha Radio against Zuria 88.7 FM. In the complaint, Alpha Radio CEO, Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan Mohammed, accused the General Manager of Zuria 88.7 FM, Yussif Abdul Ganiyu, of personal attacks and religious bigotry, including incitement of Muslims against Christians and against Alpha Radio for opening its facilities to Christians, which had the potential of converting Muslims to Christianity.
Zuria denied all the accusations as baseless. Alpha Radio operates as a community station whilst Zuria 88.7 FM is a commercial station.
However, at the hearing in Kumasi, on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, it emerged that there were deep seated sentiments against each other, which sometimes influenced programmes that were turned into personal vendetta and uninformed judgments based on religious faith. In particular there was one programme involving an interview with a well-known Islamic scholar in Kumasi, Sheikh Nuhu Sadick Abubakari, who said any Muslim who allowed his or her facility to be used to propagate any religious faith apart from Islam commits sacrilege, a comment which Alpha Radio considered to be in bad taste due to the religious pluralism in the country, and in particular the remarkable demonstration of religious tolerance by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu and the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Zuria 88.7 FM pointed out that on that occasion, it was a question from a listener as to the fate of Muslims who do not drink alcohol but transport alcohol, those who do not eat pork but drink pork soup, as well as those who lease their facilities to people who propagate other religious faiths, which prompted the response from Sheikh Abubakari, adding that immediately after the programme, they drew his attention to the fact that there were instances of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, providing space in mosques for Christians to pray and encouraging Muslims to seek comfort from their Christian brothers whenever they are in distress or difficulty. Zuria 88.7 FM was told that this part should have been done on air for listeners to hear them in the background after the programme.
It was observed from submissions from both sides that there had been baseless personal attacks and open vendetta against the CEO of Alpha Radio and the General Manager of Zuria 88.7 FM, and that there was so much ill-will and animosity between them. It was established that the CEO of Alpha Radio used to host programmes on Zuria 88.7 FM before establishing his own station, and that both compete on affiliation with Deutch Welle as well as the fact that staff of Zuria 88.7 FM were suspected to have been poached by Alpha, a claim which was forcefully refuted by Alpha Radio.
The Chairman of the NMC, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, had a tough time encouraging both parties to tone down emotions, rising tempers and the use of uncivil language to state their case and show respect towards each other. When reason prevailed, both parties agreed to respect and abide by the decision of the NMC.