Your proposal lacks logic; Ghanaians deserve fair price – Sam George to DSTV

Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has fiercely rejected a proposal from MultiChoice Ghana to maintain current DStv subscription fees while agreeing to halt revenue repatriation, branding the offer as “illogical” and evasive of the core issue.

His sharp rebuttal came in a Facebook post on Sunday, August 3, following a statement by MultiChoice Ghana signed by Managing Director Alex Okyere. The company had defended its pricing structure, calling the Minister’s earlier directive to the National Communications Authority (NCA) to suspend DStv’s broadcasting licence “regrettable,” and appealed for constructive dialogue.

As part of its proposal, MultiChoice suggested retaining its current pricing model but pledged to keep all revenue generated within Ghana rather than transferring it to its South African headquarters.

But Sam George dismissed the offer outright, saying it completely misses the point of government’s concern—unfair pricing.

“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. In all honesty, that offer lacks any logic in my estimation. The essence of my action is to see Ghanaians pay a fair price for the services offered. How does this proposal solve the real issue?” the Minister asked.

He expressed deep frustration with what he described as long-standing exploitation of Ghanaian consumers, arguing that value for money must be the focus of any regulatory intervention.

“I remain open to ‘constructive engagements’ that are centred on PRICE REDUCTION. Anything else is tangential and of no consequence,” he added.

The Minister’s push for price cuts follows public uproar over DStv’s bouquet pricing in Ghana, which is significantly higher than in several other African countries despite similar content offerings. He has vowed not to back down until MultiChoice delivers meaningful reform that benefits ordinary consumers.

The standoff between government and MultiChoice has reignited debate over media monopolies, consumer protection, and fair pricing in the digital economy. While MultiChoice insists that its operational costs and market conditions vary across countries, critics argue that Ghanaian subscribers deserve transparent and equitable rates—especially given the uniformity of content.

As the August 7 deadline looms for MultiChoice to comply with the Ministry’s directive or face licence suspension, the public awaits what could be a landmark decision in Ghana’s media regulatory space.

Read below the statement by Sam George on Facebook

“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 same Group operating in Nigeria reversed price increases in Nigeria when the Nigerian authorities sued them. The Nigerian House of Representatives took the matter up and ordered a suspension of the increases. They complied.

This year, in April, at a time the Ghanaian cedi had seen a ~10% appreciation against all major currencies, inflation had dropped by over 5% and fuel prices had also dropped, DStv announced and implemented a 15% increase.

I believe in the interest of transparency, I make public the alternate proposal that DStv offered to me that I flatly rejected.

They proposed that I allow them maintain the collection of the exorbitant bouquet prices as they stand but order them not to send the revenue to their headquarters. In all honesty, that offer lacks any logic in my estimation. The essence of my action is to see Ghanaians pay a fair price for the services offered. How does this proposal solve the real issue?

For far too long, corporations have fleeced the Ghanaian people. There has been a RESET and it demands a new style of public service that is fiercely protective of the Ghanaian people. I remain empathetic to the Ghanaian staff of DStv but I believe that they should stand with the rest of us as we demand what is right for us.

I remain open to “constructive engagements” that are centred on PRICE REDUCTION. Anything else is tangential and of no consequence.

For God and Country.