President Mahama Hints at Plans to Replace TV Licence With Public Media Levy
- President John Mahama has proposed a public media levy to replace the scrapped TV licence law
- He disclosed the plan during a visit to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation on January 8, 2026
- The levy aims to improve funding for public media and strengthen state broadcasters like GBC
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President John Dramani Mahama has hinted at his government’s plans to reform the television licence law.
According to the president, there have been several suggestions to amend the TV licence law and replace it with a public media levy.
Source: UGC
He said Cabinet will consider the suggestions and explore amendments to replace the old TV licence law with the proposed public media levy.
"There are a few suggestions with regard to the so-called TV licence, and I think that our thinking is going in the same direction to amend that law to make it a public media levy or some sort," he said.
"We are going to change the range of that levy so that it is better able to mobilise funding in order to be able to subsidise the work of the public media. So, when we are ready, it will be discussed in Cabinet, but we will discuss it with you [management of GBC] before we finally go to Parliament and amend the law," he added.
President Mahama disclosed this during a visit to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
When finalised, he said the public media levy will help strengthen the state broadcaster and address its funding challenges.
Watch the Facebook video below:
President Mahama embarks on media tour
President Mahama's visit to the GBC was part of his tour of state media houses in the country.
After the GBC, the president also visited the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), producers of the Daily Graphic, Graphic Sports, The Mirror, and Junior Graphic newspapers.
With this visit, Mahama is the first Ghanaian president to embark on a working visit to a state media house in Ghana.
The president is expected to learn firsthand the numerous challenges confronting the operations of state media houses and concerns of their staff.
In a video of President Mahama's visit to the GCGL, some market women were seen cheering him on as his convoy departed the premises of the state media house.
Watch another Facebook video below:
Netizens react to Mahama's media levy proposal
Some Ghanaians who chanced on the video of President Mahama's visit to GBC expressed their views on the proposed public media levy.
YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the reactions below:
@Seidu Abdul-haq said:
"With all due respect, Mr President. I will never pay this voluntarily, even if it is one cedi yearly. What are they doing? What?"
@Kottoh Nero also said
"I won't pay, though. Mr President, GBC is a white elephant."
@Joeyy Nobbs commented:
"What a man...Gosh, the difference is so clear."
Source: UGC
NDC woman begs Mahama for help
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a Ghanaian woman who is a staunch supporter of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) took to social media to complain about neglect from her party.
She claimed that despite campaigning for the NDC’s victory, no support has come her way, opening her up to mockery by NPP members.
In a viral video, she appealed directly to President Mahama for help, holding a framed photo of them together.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
