Politics
President Mahama’s DSTV Ban: A Wake-Up Call for Ghana’s Creative Industry – Kojo Preko Dankwa
President John Dramani Mahama’s directive to curb unnecessary public expenditure by banning all offices within the Jubilee House, Ghana’s presidential seat, from subscribing to DStv or any other satellite television service has been received positively within political circles.
According to Mr. Felix Ofosu Kwakye, “You would say that is a trivial matter, but he has done that. Because when you computed the cost, it was significant money.”
While the move may seem minor from a purely political or fiscal standpoint, my perspective shifts quickly beyond politics. I see a golden opportunity for local content creators to step up and push more homegrown content onto our television screens.
As Mr. Ofosu Kwakye emphasised, “The ban confines television at the Jubilee House to local channels only.” This means local stations must now rise to the challenge—offering engaging, relevant, and high-quality programming. It’s a direct call to the creative minds in Ghana’s orange economy.
This development, though easily dismissed as trivial, is far from insignificant. Think about it: if previously, hours of television consumed within government agencies were dominated by foreign content, and now those same hours must be filled with local programming, that’s a considerable shift in media consumption.
If local channels produce compelling content that captures attention, they will not only win over civil servants during office hours but also potentially retain those viewers at home, too. It’s a ripple effect.
Imagine the number of government workers, civil servants, and public officials who will now have no choice but to tune in to local content. It’s a massive boost for local media, and one that should energise all stakeholders to be innovative and strategic.
Moreover, this move should encourage ministries and relevant government agencies to support and invest in content that reflects our own stories, values, and identity, dethroning the foreign-dominated programming that currently fills too much of our airtime.
Our creative sector must seize this opportunity with boldness and urgency. It is time to push for policies, funding, and platforms that promote Ghanaian content. We must stop playing second fiddle in our own media space.
Unfortunately, many local stations continue to prioritise foreign content over Ghanaian productions. But this ban offers a moment of reset, a moment that creatives must exploit.
Let us rise. Let us be daring. Let us use this policy shift as a catalyst to grow our content, strengthen our industry, and reclaim our space on Ghana’s screens.
Kojo Preko Dankwa
FOCAP President
Host, Kessben Maakye
Kessben FM 92.9, Accra
Kessben TV
The Greater Accra Regional Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joshua Alabi, has assured the public that the parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North Constituency will be conducted without intimidation, interference, or manipulation.
His assurance follows allegations by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the Electoral Commission (EC) is showing bias in favour of the NDC ahead of the rerun scheduled for Friday, July 11, across 19 polling stations.
The NPP has labelled the EC’s decision to hold the rerun as “unjust” and has officially withdrawn from the process. However, its parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, has chosen to defy the party’s directive and will participate in the election. Attempts by the NPP to halt the rerun through legal and administrative actions have not succeeded.
In an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Thursday, July 10, Joshua Alabi rejected claims that the state might misuse its power to influence the outcome.
“In the past, when state institutions acted corruptly, their powers were taken away. Those days are behind us,” he stated.
Alabi emphasized that the NDC would not adopt questionable tactics, saying, “It’s part of the reason the NPP is in the situation they are now. We won’t repeat their mistakes.”
He also disclosed that the NDC had met with the National Security task force, which assured them that the election would proceed peacefully and transparently.
The rerun was necessitated by disputes over the results in specific polling stations during the December 2024 general election. The Electoral Commission opted for a fresh vote in the affected areas to preserve electoral integrity.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured the public of a fair, transparent, and credible parliamentary election rerun in the Ablekuma North constituency scheduled for Friday, July 11, 2025.
At a press briefing on Thursday, July 10, the Deputy Chairperson of the EC, Dr. Bossman Asare, announced that all necessary preparations had been completed to ensure a smooth electoral process. He emphasized the Commission’s commitment to reflecting the true will of the constituents through a credible election.
“On our part as the electoral management body, we are desirous of bringing the election in the Ablekuma North constituency to a conclusion and to ensure that the constituents have a representative in Parliament,” Dr. Asare stated.
The rerun is taking place in 19 polling stations, following the suspension of the collation process during the December 2024 parliamentary elections due to security concerns.
The election will see a renewed contest between the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, and the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) Ewurabena Aubynn.
According to the EC, a clear legal and procedural path has been outlined to complete the collation process.
“We have thus provided a path to complete the collation process while ensuring that the residents of Ablekuma North have a representative in Parliament,” Dr. Asare explained.
Reaffirming the Commission’s dedication to electoral integrity, he added, “We assure the public and the political parties that, as always, we will live by our motto and ensure that the rerun is fair, transparent and credible.”
The EC also extended its best wishes to both candidates ahead of the polls.
Former Vice President and immediate past flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has donated GH₵410,000 to the party’s parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, to support her campaign in the upcoming election re-run across 19 polling stations.
This donation comes despite the NPP National Executive Committee’s (NEC) decision to boycott the re-run. Ms. Owusu Afriyie, however, has chosen to defy the party’s directive and contest the election, stating that she believes she legitimately won the 2024 general elections and is determined to prove it at the polls.
Sources close to Dr. Bawumia confirmed the donation, explaining that he considers it part of his ongoing responsibility to support the party’s electoral efforts, regardless of the NEC’s position.
The donation is expected to bolster Ms. Afriyie’s campaign as she aims to retain the parliamentary seat for the NPP.
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