
In a dramatic turn of events, workers at Radio Gold, the pro-NDC media station, have called off their indefinite sit-down strike and returned to work on Monday, January 27, 2025. The strike, which began in protest of Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko’s appointment as Acting Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), had sent shockwaves through the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its media circles.
The strike was initially launched in response to Fianko’s controversial history with Radio Gold, Montie FM, and Gold TV—key media players in the NDC’s media space. From 2017 to 2024, Fianko was instrumental in the closure of these stations during the Akufo-Addo administration, which included the 2017 shutdown of Montie FM over unpaid fees, the 2019 revocation of Gold FM’s license, and the storming of Radio Gold’s offices by armed policemen led by Fianko to enforce a closure order.
For many workers at Radio Gold, Fianko’s new appointment felt like a personal betrayal. One outraged staff member expressed, “Fianko used the NCA as a weapon against us. Now, the party we’ve supported all these years rewards him. It’s a slap in the face.”
However, after nearly three days of the strike, workers have decided to end their protest, signalling a tentative return to normalcy at the station. Despite their return to work, their anger and frustration remain palpable, with staff members still demanding accountability from NDC leadership for the controversial appointment.
As the strike neared its conclusion, Radio Gold employees made it clear that they would not let the issue drop. “We are returning to work, but the issue is far from resolved. We are still calling for a formal apology and the reversal of Fianko’s appointment,” one worker stated.
The decision to call off the strike followed a meeting within.
The party’s leadership is under fire for potentially alienating its loyal supporters, as many feel betrayed by the appointment of someone seen as an enemy of the media outlets that had been critical of the previous government.
Political analysts, including Dr. Isaac Mensah, have warned that the situation is not just about Fianko’s appointment, but about the wider sentiment of disillusionment within the party’s grassroots. “The NDC needs to act fast to avoid further alienating the very people who have supported it through thick and thin,” Dr. Mensah advised.
While the NDC leadership has yet to make a formal statement addressing the workers’ grievances, the party faces a crucial test in restoring trust among its most loyal supporters. Radio Gold staff have made it clear that they are not backing down from their demands for justice, and the leadership must now respond before the discontent spreads any further.
“If the NDC can’t even keep its own media house in order, how can we trust them to lead the country?” one protester summed up the sentiment, underscoring the difficult road ahead for the party. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the NDC can salvage its relationship with its media allies and its base.