SECTOR 3 d. e. i. the National Security Council, ii. the National Media Commission, iii. Ministry of Communications, not below the rank of a director. one person with experience and expertise in communications; and three other persons at least one of whom is a woman and each of whom has knowledge or expertise in electrical engineering, law, business or public administration. Given the structure outlined above, the NCA is not entirely protected from interference, and because of the appointing authority and the fact that it reports to the Minister of Information, may be present on the board based on their affinity to the political party in power at the time. As noted in indicator 3.3 below, the NCA is viewed as being biased towards the political elite. Panellists were divided on how independent the NCA really is, with most asserting that as “an agency of the Ministry of Information”, “it would be hard to say that they are entirely independent.” By constitutional law, as well as in terms of Section 3 of the NMC Act, the NMC is an independent body. It is made up of the following members, as contained in Section 5 of the Act: a. b. c. d. one representative each nominated by: i. the Ghana Bar Association; ii. the Publishers and owners of the Private Press; iii. the Ghana Association of Writers and the Ghana Library Association; iv. the Christian Group (the National Catholic Secretariat, the Christian Council, and the Ghana Pentecostal Council) v. the Federation of Muslim Councils and Ahmadiyya Missions; vi. the training institutions of journalists and communicators; vii. the Ghana Advertising Association and the Institute of Public Relations of Ghana; viii. the Ghana National Association of Teachers; ix. the National Council on Women and Development; x. the Trade Unions Congress; and xi. the Association of Private Broadcasters; two representatives nominated by the Ghana Journalists Association; two persons appointed by the president; and three Persons nominated by Parliament. Section 6 (3) of the NMC Act stipulates that: “A person, who is a founding member of a political party, is a leader or a member of its executive or holds any office in a political party, shall not be qualified to be a member of the Commission.” 48 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GHANA 2017