Successfully Concluding Two-Part Series to Strengthen Compliance and Standards, After Buchanan Training

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monrovia, Liberia–Community radio stations across Nimba County over the weekend benefitted from a two-day intensive training workshop in Ganta City held by a local telecommunications consultancy firm, Liberty Connect Liberia sponsored by the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) on Understanding FM Radio Regulations, Licensing Requirements and Processes as well as promoting responsible broadcasting.

The Ganta City training was the second in a series of workshops starting with Buchanan the week earlier that saw stimulating engagements and interactive sessions facilitated by technical experts from LTA, the Ministry of Information (MOI) and Liberty Connect Liberia, driving home the need to ensure compliance and standards in the country’s broadcast sector, a press release said over the weekend.

LTA Board Chairman, Clarence Masssaquoi gave the keynote statement at the start of the training in Buchanan and commended the stakeholders and Liberty Connect Liberia, saying that was why LTA agreed to support this venture in a “fast-moving and improving communication sector”.

He noted that the LTA‘s primary role is to protect all the players in the sector, while keeping its focus on LTA’s primary mandate. He said the FM Radio Regulations Sensitisation workshop is part of the LTA’s five-year strategic plan aimed at advancing the telecommunication sector of which broadcasting is a key part.

Hon. Massaquoi explained that the LTA, which came into being in 2007 through an Act of the Legislature, incorporates key global principles on FM regulations, spectrum efficiency, transparency, safety and accountability, with a mandate to ensure international best practices and enforcement.

LTA Board Chairman stressed that his entity was on the path of reforming the country’s telecommunications sector to keep pace with fast-moving satellite and telecommunications technology in the world.

He spoke of the need to replicate such FM radio frequency regulation training to other areas, including Montserrado County, where the LTA boss said frequencies are nearly exhausted given available data at thenLTA.

Making opening remarks both in Buchanan and Ganta, LTA Board Member Commissioner Ben A. Fofana, who oversees the Department of Licensing and Regulations underscored the importance of the training workshop to the LTA saying, is important that the LTA begin reaching out to communities to sensitize the public on telecom regulations and provisions to ensure compliance and quality standards.

“We are here to make you know the rules and follow the rules, to make broadcast responsible,” Commissioner Fofana stated.

Commissioner Fofana emphasised the importance of FM Radio Broadcasters complying with LTA regulations, saying that without such compliance, the sector risks becoming chaotic.

The Director of the Communications Bureau at the Ministry of Information, Madam Agatha Thompson-Venn, urged the workshop’s participants to always regularize their statuses with the ministry.

She admonished the FM Radio Station Managers and Broadcasters to ensure at all times responsible broadcasting while guiding against misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, etc

She said MOI works with both print and electronic media regarding content regulation to ensure responsible journalism.

“When MOI issues the permit it is not a license to act outside the agreed terms of the permit because without the MOI permit, the LTA will not proceed with processing and granting the license/authorization”, Director Thompson Venn stressed.

Presentations and feedback from community radio managers, staff and civil society representatives who attended the workshop recommended better coordination between ministry and LTA on the new regulation, specifically looking at the various types of FM radio station categories and licenses and the duration of the permit and license.

About Liberty Connect Liberia

Liberty Connect Liberia Inc. is an information technology and communications firm with years of experience in the sector.