National Democratic Congress [NDC] Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak is accusing the Communications Minister Ursula Ekuful Owusu of protecting the interest of the Chinese Company following her comment on the national Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) infrastructure.
Speaking on the ongoing impasse between the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) and the government, Ras Mubarak said the deal exposes yet another corrupt act in the Communications Ministry.
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Mr Mubarak has described a tax waiver agreement granted StarTimes by the government as unfortunate and a total disrespect for Ghanaian digital content, calling on the government to come clean on the deal.
He urged the government to create a ministry for Chinese Affairs since the communication ministry, under the leadership of Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, is bent on defending and protecting the interest of the Chinese company.
“The government and ministry of communication are only protecting the interest of the Chinese company. It’s a disgrace to the ministry and something needs to be done immediately.
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“If they want to continue defending this deal then government should go ahead and create Chinese affairs so we are sure of what’s happening,” he said on Okay FM monitored by Adomonline.com.
The Ministry of Communications has stated that it does not intend to hand over the management of the national Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) infrastructure to any third party.
Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said that the DTT Platform would be managed as a commercial entity incorporated as the Central Digital Transmission Company Limited (CDTCL) and governed by a board with representatives from GBC, GIBA and other industry and content producers.
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Indications so far are that Chinese communication giant, StarTimes, had been contracted to manage the country’s Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Platform.
But the allegations were debunked by government who say it had not signed any contracts with the Chinese firm to manage the country’s digital platform.
Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful 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.