The government of Liberia has shut down six amateur FM radio stations operating in Bong County, central Liberia, and Margibi County, some 40 kilometres east of the capital, Monrovia. The stations affected include: Y-FM, Bright FM, Jet 89.9, The Voice of Kakata, and the Voice of YMCA.
According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Liberia sources, no specific charge has been preferred against them. However, the Director of National Communication Bureau at the Ministry of Information, Emmanuel D.S. Todo alleged that, “the motives and scope of operations of these stations were not clear to the government.”
The Association of Amateur Radio Stations (AARS) insists, however, that the affected stations were all registered with the government. The AARS has appealed to the government to allow the stations to resume operation because of the important community service function they perform in serving the news and information needs of their listeners.
