The long-running standoff between the CDC government and Punch FM of former state broadcaster’s Deputy Director General, Patrick Honnah has now landed in the Court of law.
Punch FM, which license was suspended as a result of pronouncement of reviewing new radio and television frequencies from January 1 to June 2018, has finally dragged the Liberian government to court through the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism.
Punch FM is owned by the current Communications Manager of Firestone Mr. Honnah and this media outlet’s move against the government comes just days after the authorities got a court order shut down and seized the equipment of another private radio station, Roots FM.
A Writ of Petition issued by Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia on Tuesday, October 15, 2019, said petitioner is it an established and registered institution in keeping with laws of the Republic of Liberia.
Petitioner says upon obtaining a business registration certificate in keeping with laws to operate a radio and television institution in Liberia, the petitioner on November 9, 2017, applied to the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) by and thru its commissioner for engineering and technology, Henry W. Benson for radio and television frequencies.
The petitioner says further to count three herein above, petitioner application for frequency was granted by the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) and said authority made or caused petitioner to pay the amount of US $ 100 00 as application fee for commercial FM station in Montserrado County (106.3 MHz) US $2,800 as annual license regulatory fee for commercial FM station (106.3) service for the period January 1 to December 31 2018.
Petitioner added that upon scarifying the requirements with LTA, respondent applied through an application form at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism for a permit to operate radio and television frequencies and predicated upon the said application, petitioner on January 10,2018 request for permit was granted by the Director of National Communication Bureau, Madam Agatha T. Thompson of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism and same was approved by by the Minister of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Eugene Lenn Nagbe.
Petitioner in its Writ said since the press release was issued, a radio station, Spoon FM that was affected like the petitioner, has been allowed to operate while the petitioner being denied by the respondent.
Every effort has been made by the petitioner to know the status of the purported review process, but the respondent has failed and refused to say a word to the petitioner.
Furthermore, Petitioner says that in recent time a communication was written to the respondent by petitioner lawyer to have a conference with respondent, but same was not considered by the respondent. Report by Garmah Never Lomo