We will oppose dangerous Startimes deal with full force - MFWA Boss

Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah has described the Communications Ministry deal with StartTimes as dangerous for the country’s local media industry.

Startimes, a Chinese media conglomerate is at the centre of a controversial Digital Terrestrial TV network deal with assurances from Deputy Communications Minister, George Andah that an agreement with StarTimes is a condition for Ghana to secure a $19 billion loan from the China EXIM bank.

Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) and some other stakeholders have warned the government against wasting money on the deal.

But the MFWA Boss on his facebook wall is averse to the deal and want the government to tread cautiously stating”The StarTimes affair is very dangerous for the survival of our local media industry. Let’s oppose it with full force”

Communications Minister Ursula Owusu Ekuful is being accused of speaking so vociferously on behalf of the Chinese government than she is doing for Ghana her motherland.

Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in a statement said the public is confusing issues on the digital infrastructure and its satellite programme to extend digital TV to 300 communities which Startimes is actually running.

The minister said she will work with various industry stakeholders to ensure a cost-effective digital infrastructure is built, even as the minority in parliament and other stakeholders are against the deal.

But Wireko Brobbey, a controversial member of the ruling party said he thinks Mrs Owusu-Ekuful is being more Chinese on the deal than Ghanaian.