No company is above regulation – Sam George to DStv 

Minister for Communications, Digitalisation and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has responded to MultiChoice Ghana’s recent comments over DStv pricing.

He defended his directive to the National Communications Authority (NCA), stressing that it was in line with efforts to protect the interests of Ghanaian consumers.

Reacting to MultiChoice’s claim of surprise over the move, Mr. George clarified that his instructions followed extensive engagements and official correspondence with the company.

“I want to assure Ghanaians that the Government of Ghana remains committed to safeguarding their rights and interests in all sectors, especially when it comes to service delivery and pricing,” the Minister stated.

He noted that pricing concerns had become a major issue among Ghanaians and insisted that MultiChoice’s justification of macroeconomic pressures was insufficient in the current economic environment.

According to the Minister, the broadcasting giant has benefited significantly from the Ghanaian market and must be open to fair scrutiny and regulation that puts the consumer first.

“Public service providers cannot operate in a vacuum. They must be accountable to the people they serve,” he added.

“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 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?” Sam George asked.

Background

MultiChoice Ghana, in an earlier statement issued on Saturday, August 3, expressed disappointment over the Minister’s comments, stating that they had engaged the Ministry and the NCA in good faith and submitted proposals to address concerns over pricing.

“It is regrettable that the Honourable Minister has taken this stance. We have submitted a proposal to both the Minister and the NCA for an alternative channel of engagement,” read the statement signed by Managing Director Alex Okyere.

The company acknowledged the recent appreciation of the Ghanaian Cedi but argued that the current economic conditions still do not support drastic reductions in subscription fees without affecting service quality.

“We remain committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations in Ghana, and trust that the authorities will do likewise,” the statement concluded.

MultiChoice has operated in Ghana for nearly 30 years and maintains that it has created jobs, supported local content, and contributed significantly to the media and entertainment industry.