By Aja Musu Bah Daffeh
The Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure (MoICI) on Monday 9th January, 2017 officially wrote a letter to the Management of Paradise FM radio station telling them that they have revoked their licence, which permits them to operate, with immediate effect. The said authority upon revoking the licence which was officially signed by Saul Njie on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, did not state any tangible reason for their actions.
The Foroyaa reporter has seen the said letter indicating the names of the closed radios (Hilltop, Afri radio, Taranga FM) but these stations said that they are yet to receive a letter from the Ministry unlike Paradise FM.
Paradise FM Manager, Ebrima Jaiteh said they will take it in good faith and they know that it is an official mission from the government to close their radio station. He promised to tell the whole world that they are ordered to stop transmission.
Ebrima Jaiteh, the Manager of Paradise FM, told this paper that on Sunday, 8 January, 2017 men identifying themselves as police officers asked them to stop transmission.
The radio station manager said six men came to his office on that day between the 10 pm and 11 pm and ordered him to stop transmission. He said since they did not show him anything, he demanded to see their identity cards before complying with their order. He said one of them purporting to be the head of the six man team showed him a Police ID and then told him that they are just messengers executing an order which he claimed to be from the minister of information and communication technology (MoICI). He said he complied and finally stopped the transmission and ordered his staff not to come to work in order not to create a scene. He added that he believes this country is a country of law and everybody should abide by it.
Mr. Jaiteh revealed that they have already published about the closure of their radio station on their social media page and called on the general public to bear with them and he promised to do all what it takes to be live on air again.
Mr. Jaiteh however said that what amazed him was that the these men came to their office on Sunday night which was not a working day and claiming to be sent by the minister, who at the time was confirmed to be in Senegal.
