GTV to telecast 52 World Cup matches live

Amedzofe, (V/R), June 8, GNA - Ghana Television would provide live telecast of 52 of the 64 matches of World Cup to be hosted by Germany that kick-starts on June 9 to July 9.

"Due to other commitments that we owe to the people of Ghana as a public broadcaster, we cannot telecast live all the matches, but I can assure you that all matches involving Ghana and the other participating African countries would be aired live."

Mr Yaw Owusu-Addo, Acting Director General, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), told members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communication who were on a working visit to the GBC=92s installations in the Volta Region.

He said the Corporation had made the necessary arrangements including storage of enough fuel at the transmission sites as well as other contingency plans to ensure that Ghanaians enjoy the world=92s biggest soccer fiesta.

Mr Owusu-Addo, however, called for cooperation from their partner institutions such as the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) which supply GBC with its energy needs and Ghana Telecom, which host some of its antennas to ensure smooth broadcasting. The GBC boss gave the assurance that the Volta Region, which has for some time being experiencing bad reception of GBC=92s signals, would enjoy quality viewing during and after the World Cup. He explained that power surges and unannounced power cuts had affected most of the Corporation=92s transmitters in the Region, hence the problem of bad reception.

Mr Owusu-Addo appealed to government to increase the 31 billion cedis needed to install the new equipment that the Corporation had just acquired through a government guaranteed loan.

He said since the Corporation was essentially a public service provider it could not go the full commercial length to raise enough revenue to the cost.

Mr Akwasi Afrifa, Chairman of the Committee, said they would impress on government on the need to raise enough money to rejuvenate the GBC, since the quality of information it gives to the public was unrivalled. "We must try hard to unite Ghana, we must develop this nation of ours. I think the GBC has a lot of experience and commitment in this area which we must help sustain."

He assured the staff of the Corporation in the Region of the support of the Committee and asked them to give off their best to serve the interest of "Mother Ghana."