President John Dramani Mahama has hinted at a major overhaul of Ghana’s television licence system, revealing that Cabinet is considering proposals to replace it with a broader public media levy to improve funding for state-owned broadcasters.
The President disclosed this during a visit to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday, January 8, where he engaged management and staff as part of his interactions with key state institutions. He said discussions at Cabinet level were focused on reviewing the existing law to reflect changing realities in media consumption and public broadcasting finance.
According to President Mahama, the proposed public media levy would have a wider base than the current TV licence arrangement, making it more effective in mobilising resources to support public broadcasters. He explained that the intention was to create a more sustainable and reliable funding stream to strengthen institutions such as GBC.
He added that once Cabinet concludes its deliberations, the government would consult stakeholders, including GBC, before submitting the proposed amendments to Parliament. The President expressed confidence that the reforms, if approved, would enhance the financial stability of public media organisations and enable them to better fulfil their public service responsibilities.
