Special TV License Court set up to prosecute defaulters

Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo has set up a special court to prosecute individuals who default in the payment of their TV License fee.

This follows a request made to the judiciary by Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Director-General, Dr. Kwame Akuffo Anoff-Ntow in November this year.

In a letter sighted by Myjoyonline.comand dated December 11, the request by the boss of the state broadcaster has been granted.

The courts, which will be in all the ten regions, will start sitting on January 4, 2018, the document read.

Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo

“The Courts located in the Regions are to sit every Thursday with effect from 4^thJanuary, 2018 until otherwise directed. The time for the Court sitting is 8:30am to 4pm,” the letter indicated further.

GBC in February resumed the collection of TV license fee after it was suspended for more than two decades.

As per the arrangement, dealers in television sets will pay GH¢5 per month, while commercial license users will pay GH¢3 per month for a television set. The amount will, however, double based on the number of devices.

Attempts to charge Ghanaians for owning television sets have not been successful, but the creation of the special court will bolster such efforts in the future.

Section 1(a) of Television Licensing (Amendment) Law, 1991 states as follows: “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.”

Source: Myjoyonline