Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies Accra at the Department of Political and Digital Communication, Mohammed Tawfik Adamu, has raised concerns over the effectiveness of media regulation in Ghana, citing weak enforcement powers, logistical constraints, and limited technical capacity as major setbacks.
Speaking at the Media Convergence in Ghana conference, themed “The Future of Media Practice, Education and Policy in Ghana” on Wednesday, April 29, he noted that although the country has several regulatory bodies, their impact is undermined by inefficiencies.
He explained that institutions such as the Ghana Communications Authority and the Cyber Security Authority lack the necessary infrastructure and logistics to effectively monitor compliance across the media and digital space.
According to him, the inability to adequately track activities on the airwaves makes it difficult to enforce regulations and hold violators accountable.
Mohammed Tawfik Adamu further pointed out that some regulatory bodies, including the National Media Commission, lack the authority to directly sanction offenders, often having to rely on other state institutions to pursue enforcement actions.
“If a regulatory body like Cybersecurity Unit or the Ghana Communication Authority, for example, does not have the necessary, you know, logistics and structures in place that can monitor, you know, the airwaves and see who is complying with the regulations and who is not complying with the regulations,” he said.
The lecturer also highlighted a shortage of skilled professionals within regulatory institutions, questioning whether enough experts have been trained to implement and enforce existing rules effectively.
He warned that these challenges pose a significant threat to Ghana’s development as a growing democracy with an evolving media ecosystem, stressing the need for urgent reforms to strengthen regulation and oversight.
