Ghana’s Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Mr. Samuel Nartey George, has issued a strongly-worded response to MultiChoice Ghana’s refusal to reduce DStv subscription prices, accusing the company of failing to take Ghanaians seriously and prioritizing profits over fairness.
Reacting to a media statement released earlier by MultiChoice, which described the Minister’s directive on subscription price reduction as “not tenable,” Mr. George said the company’s position vindicates his long-standing belief that Ghanaians are being treated unfairly.
“I have read the release by DStv Ghana and taken full consideration that they vindicate my earlier position — that they simply do not take the Ghanaian people serious enough,” the Minister stated.
Drawing a sharp contrast with developments in Nigeria, Mr. George pointed out that MultiChoice had previously reversed price hikes in Nigeria after intervention by the Nigerian government and parliament. “They complied,” he noted, referencing a lawsuit and parliamentary action that forced the company’s hand.
According to the Minister, in April 2025, at a time when the Ghanaian cedi had appreciated by approximately 10%, inflation had dropped significantly, and fuel prices were down, DStv went ahead with a 15% price increase — a move he described as unjustifiable under the economic circumstances.
In a bid to be transparent, the Minister also revealed details of an alternative proposal he said was presented to him by MultiChoice — a proposal he outright rejected.
“They proposed that I allow them to maintain the collection of the exorbitant bouquet prices as they stand but order them not to send the revenue to their headquarters,” he disclosed. “That offer lacks any logic in my estimation. The essence of my action is to see Ghanaians pay a fair price.”
The Minister described the proposal as inadequate and deflective of the central issue — high subscription fees. “How does this proposal solve the real issue?” he asked.
Mr. George warned that the era of corporations “fleecing the Ghanaian people” was over and emphasized a new era of public service “that is fiercely protective of the Ghanaian people.” While he expressed empathy for Ghanaian workers at MultiChoice, he urged them to support the broader demand for fairness.
“I remain open to ‘constructive engagements’ that are centred on PRICE REDUCTION. Anything else is tangential and of no consequence,” the Minister concluded.
As the standoff between the government and MultiChoice continues, public attention is now focused on how the company and regulators will respond in the coming days, with consumer groups and civil society beginning to weigh in on the controversy.
