His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama paid a working visit to the headquarters of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) on Thursday, January 8th, 2026 to assess the Corporation’s operations and discuss its strategic future.
GBC’s Role in National Development
In his welcome address, the Director-General of GBC, Prof. Amin Alhassan, underscored the Corporation’s vital role in national cohesion. He noted that while GBC is often evaluated based on its television presence, its true strength lies in its extensive rural reach. The Corporation currently broadcasts in 27 Ghanaian languages across 17 stations, fulfilling its mandate to disseminate governmentpolicies and development information to every corner of the country.
Financial Challenges and the “Public Service Levy”
Prof. Alhassan highlighted the financial hurdles facing the national broadcaster, particularly the limitations of the current TV Licence system. He explained that the licence was designed to fund Public Service Broadcasting in non-profitable regions and appealed for government support to reposition it. He proposed a rebranding and restructuring of the fee into a “Public Service Levy” to better reflect its purpose.
Legacy Debt and Green Energy
The Director-General also raised the issue of GH¢13.6 million in outstanding legacy debt owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and NEDCo. This debt, he explained, largely stems from a period when multiple state agencies shared power infrastructure at GBC sites.
Despite GBC paying GH¢5 million towards the arrears this year, the remaining balance continues to hinder operations. Prof. Alhassan requested government assistance in clearing this debt to allow GBC to focus on its solar installation project—a collaboration with the BritishBroadcasting Corporation (BBC) currently underway at the Adjangote and Takoradi sites.
The Five-Year Strategic Plan
Management is currently finalising a five-year strategic plan aimed at restructuring the Corporation. Key features of the plan include:
- Asset Leveraging: Utilising GBC’s physical and digital assets to generate infrastructure
- Modernisation: Updating the 30-year-old organogram and scheme of service to align with the requirements of the digital
The President’s Response
“President Mahama commended GBC for its dedicated service but acknowledged that its public-interest content often struggles to attract commercial advertising. He expressed a strong commitment to exploring new funding models and is awaiting the Corporation’s formal proposals for further action.”
Key Highlights from the President’s Address:
- Funding Reform: He confirmed that the government is looking to amend the law to transition the TV Licence into a public service levy with an updated rate structure to subsidise public
- Debt Management: The President advised GBC to remain consistent with current payment of utility bills while the government works on a plan toclear the legacy
- Innovation: He lauded the shift toward solar energy, noting that reducing utility overheads would free up capital for high-quality content
- Institutional Renewal: He agreed that the Corporation’s internal structures have “run their course” and welcomed the upcomingproposal for a new organogram and scheme of
A presentation was made to the President by GBC Management and staff, followed by a tour of the Corporation’s studios and transmissionfacilities to observe current operations firsthand.
