TV licence
Owners of television sets who fail to pay their monthly licence fees will soon be put before court to face trial per Section 1(a) of the TV Licensing Act 1966 (NLCD 89).
This follows a decision by the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, to grant a request by the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to establish special courts to prosecute defaulters of the fees.
According to a letter issued by the office of the Judicial Secretary to the Director-General of GBC and copied to the office of the Chief Justice and the Judicial Service, the special courts will be located in all the ten regions.
The courts are expected to sit every Thursday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on matters relating to payment of TV licence fee, with effect from January 4, 2018.
The reintroduction of the TV licences has generated varying views with many expressing discontent over the matter.
The concerns of many are that they do not watch programmes of Ghana Television (GTV) and therefore see no need to pay any form of fee to the national broadcaster.
Other countries have introduced TV licences as an avenue of resourcing the state broadcasters and the law is strictly applied in South Africa and the United Kingdom for instance, and defaulters are dealt with differently.
In Ghana, defaulters could face up to a year in prison per the Act that backs the collection of the licence fee.
“Any person who contravenes any provision of this law or regulation shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year,” the act says.
Judges
Following the establishment of the special TV Licence court, eleven circuit court judges across the country have been selected to sit on cases relating to failure to pay the fees.
They are Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye, Accra; Cynthia Wiredu, Tema; Kofu Seshie Ametewee, Cape Coast; Janet Anima Marfo, Koforidua; Priscilla Bikro, Ho and Jane Eyi King, Sunyani.
The rest are Abena Adoko, Takoradi; Patricia Amponsah, Adum-Kumasi; William Appiah Twumasi, Tamale; Malcom Bedzrah, Bolgatanga and Baah Forson Agyapong, Wa.
Licence Fees
Domestic users who own a single TV set are expected to pay an annual licence fee of GH¢36 while those with two or more TV sets are to pay GH¢60.
Commercial users are also to pay GH¢60 whiles retailers and sales outlets are mandated to pay GH¢240.
Television repairers are charged GH¢60 per annum.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak