-Who’s telling the truth about Patrick Honnah’s Punch FM license denial?
-Documents show Punch FM applied for and paid for license
For several months now, there have been claims and counter claims over the government’s alleged refusal to grant license to Patrick Honnah’s Punch FM.
Mr. Honneh, a former Deputy Director General of the Liberia Broadcasting System during the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s government, used to host the popular Bumper Show on ELBC radio up to the end of the 2017 elections.
Some claim that Punch FM is not a registered Liberian business entity under Liberian law, neither has it gone through the legal process in applying for a permit to operate in the country.
But the founder and owner of the entity has continued to insist that they have met all requirements to be granted a license but the CDC government was denying them the right to do so.
So, who is telling the truth—the government or Mr. Honnah’s Punch FM?
During last Thursday’s regular MICAT press briefing responding to a question asked by this reporter, regarding what is seen as injustice agains Punch FM by denying the group license to operate, Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs, Eugene Fahngon said the Ministry has no record of any Punch FM on its books.
Minister Fahngon dismissed claim that injustice was being meted out against Punch FM.
In the wake of the Punch FM controversy, the Liberian government last year informed the public about the revision of radio and television stations’ frequencies and that granting of frequencies were being suspended.
Yet, the government recently gave Smart Fm in Caldwell, Spoon Fm 10th street Sinkor and Choice Fm in Brewerville, which is on test transmission. How did they manage to get all the necessary documents relating to their operations, when the revision process is still ongoing?
Responding to the question, Deputy Minister Fahngon said there is nothing in their data base called Punch FM, and before you operate a radio station you must be in confirmative with their guide line at the Ministry of Information.
Minister further added that Punch FM never existed physically but it was only seen on social media with T-shirts and caps were seen being advertised by its fans and Chief Executive officer Mr. Patrick Honnah.
Liberia’s Deputy Information Minister disclosed that Mr. Honnah doesn’t have permit, no business registry he minister Fahngon know about neither license.
He further disclosed that when the news of revision of radio stations and television was ongoing by the government and there were no permit or license to be given out until the revision process is completed.
Mr. Honnah has told the public that the government cause him loses but he Minister Fahngon wondered how the government caused him loses when he doesn’t any document relating to his operation.
Meanwhile, speaking to Mr. Patrick Honnah via mobile phone said Minister Fagngon is a “blatant liar” and must be deceiving the public when he doesn’t check’s the record on his radio station.
Mr. Honnah further said that as a Journalist and a professional person who holds a Master’s degree will not just come from the sky without following the necessary steps on how to operate a radio station.
The Punch FM’s Chief Executive Officer described the action of the CDC government and its officials as a political witch hunt.
Mr. Honnah wondered why he will not get any documents relating to his institution and would then begin doing advertisement of his radio station on billboards and on the social media
He said Minister Fagngon did not check the record in their data base properly, as documents given by government institutions prove the contrary.
Some of the documents in the possession of www.newspublictrust.com confirm Mr. Honnah’s claims of applying for license and making payments through both the Information Ministry and the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA). Report by a Staff Writer and Garmah Never Lomo
