Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is set to enforce its decision to revoke the licenses of several radio stations in The Gambia that are operating with expired licenses, in violation of the PURA Act, the Information and Communication Act (IC Act), and other regulatory guidelines. The update was provided by the Director of Legal and Licensing Enforcement, Ms. Emma Mendy, during a press conference on Monday.

Ms. Mendy explained that a notice of intention to revoke the licenses was issued on June 25, 2024. She confirmed that the Honorable Minister of Information had approved the revocation of licenses that are non-compliant with the regulatory guidelines. An inter-ministerial and stakeholder committee has been established to review all received applications and representations.

“We are going through all the applications that have been received and the representations made. Hopefully, by the end of this week, a decision will be made on the licenses that will be revoked, and you will be informed in due course. But something is being done about it. And we have the same people who are doing all that reviewing and also entertaining all the representations that are made. So hopefully, by the end of this week, you will hear something from us,” PURA’s director of Legal and Licensing Enforcement said.

Ms. Mendy mentioned that over 33 applications were being reviewed and that a decision on the licenses would be made by the end of the week, with further updates to be provided in due course.

PURA has also identified several licensed radio stations that have yet to commence broadcasting. These stations include Exit One FM, Mahlegen Communication Network, Banjul FM, and Juneteenth Radio. These license holders have been served with notices of intention to revoke their licenses and must provide written explanations for their inactivity, as stipulated under the PURA Act and IC Act Section 235(1).

Njogu Bah, the Director General of PURA, emphasized that annual monitoring exercises are conducted to ensure compliance among all broadcasters. He noted that radio and television content is regularly monitored and can be used as evidence in cases of dispute. Additionally, Bah pointed out that some private TV and radio stations fail to pay their regulatory fees on time, despite the reduced and revised amounts requested.

The enforcement of these regulations underscores PURA’s commitment to ensuring that all broadcasters operate within the legal framework and maintain the standards required for a fair and competitive media landscape in The Gambia.