Manasseh Azure Awuni, an investigative journalist, has waded into the ongoing brouhaha between the Communication Ministry, the National Communications Authority (NCA), and MultiChoice Ghana.
According to Manasseh Azure, MultiChoice Ghana had never opposed participating in the stakeholder committee set up to evaluate DSTV pricing.
He noted that what some Ghanaians wanted to know was what law the Communication Minister, Sam George, would use to shut down the broadcast of DStv.
Manasseh Azure stated, “Some of us wanted education on the law under which the minister would shut down the broadcasting entity yesterday. We are yet to be convinced”.
“The NCA and the Ministry may have evaluated their position and decided to continue with the committee’s engagement, which Multichoice had clearly indicated its willingness to engage.
“That admission would not be a weakness. Changing course to get a better result is a strength. And the NCA statement should have honestly admitted that,” he emphasised.
Manasseh’s comment comes following the National Communications Authority (NCA) confirming that MultiChoice Ghana has agreed to the directive from the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations to establish a Stakeholder Committee that will evaluate DSTV pricing in Ghana.
The NCA statement read, “MultiChoice Ghana has agreed to the directive from the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations to establish a Stakeholder Committee that will evaluate DSTV pricing in Ghana. The company has also committed to fully participating in this process.”
Meanwhile, Sam George had earlier replied to MultiChoice Ghana, operators of DStv, after they refuted claims that they had agreed to reduce their subscription prices.
According to Sam George, he has no intention to tolerate the disrespect from DStv to Ghanaians.
The sector minister revealed, the National Communication Authority (NCA) will proceed to shut down DSTV operations tomorrow, September 6, 2025.
In a statement released, MultiChoice Ghana stated, “We have noted the statement made by the Minister for Communications Technology and Innovation, Hon. Samuel Nartey George.
We continue to engage with the Minister in a bid to find an amicable solution that is beneficial for all parties involved, but does not jeopardise the viability of the DSty service.
We will fully participate in the established Working Committee. However, we wish to clarify that MultiChoice Group has not agreed to a price reduction”.
In a post on X in reaction to MultiChoice’s statement, Sam George wrote, “Let me be clear, I have no intention to continue tolerating the disrespect to Ghanaians by DStv.
If MultiChoice is not interested, as they claim in their last statement, in discussing a reduction in prices as they had indicated to me, we would proceed to effect the shutdown tomorrow as indicated.
DStv indicated their willingness to engage the Ministry on its concerns on pricing and prayed us to stay our enforcement action. If they have changed their position, then we simply would enforce the regulatory action”.
He added, “No company is above the law. When MultiChoice is ready to discuss price reduction, they can come to the negotiation table. Until then, there is nothing for us to meet over. The @NCAGhana would carry out enforcement.
Ghana is open for businesses that respect our laws and institutions”.
Sam George had earlier revealed that a committee had been formed at MultiChoice’s request to reach an agreement on the appropriate level of reduction.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday, September 5, 2025, Sam George stated, “We have taken an immediate step to put together a committee comprising representatives from the ministry, the regulator, NCA, Multichoice Ghana, and Multichoice Africa. I will personally chair the committee”.
He added, “Let us be clear—they have finally accepted that there will be a reduction and they want us to discuss the level of reduction. I believe that as a minister, we do not need 30 days”.
Fourteen days is enough, inclusive of weekends, for us to reach this decision. The committee is to present a suitable price reduction strategy to the people of Ghana,” Mr. George stated.
It will be recalled that Ghana’s communication minister had warned DStv that their transmissions would be shut down by September 6 if there was no resolution in complying with the key regulatory order.
Sam George also imposed a GHC10,000 daily fine on DStv on August 15, for failing to submit pricing data requested under the Electronic Communications Act (ECA).
According to reports, the sanction took effect today, Friday, August 15, 2025.
Sam George emphasised that the fine is a legal requirement under the ECA.
“The law is clear, and we will enforce it. If necessary, we can freeze accounts to protect consumer interests”, he said.
“If not, we expect DSTV to comply with our directive to make subscriptions more affordable,” he noted.
The minister revealed that the pricing data was needed to facilitate discussions on lowering subscription fees for Ghanaian customers.
He noted that the data will include a detailed breakdown of bouquet prices, tax components, and comparisons with at least six other African markets.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Friday, August 15, Sam George stated, “They said they wanted to provide a consolidated response, and I asked what that meant. They explained that they wanted to submit the information alongside a response to the 30-day suspension notice. The two are not connected in any way.
The suspension notice is saying that they failed to apply to the first request of the Ministry, and per the terms of their licence, we have the power to suspend your licence in the interest of the public or on national security grounds. So, we invoked that clause and suspended it.
While they seek to consolidate us, I will enforce the laws of the land. We have fined them GHC10,000. If on the 6th of September there is no resolution, we will stop any transmission of DStv in the country,” he added.
Additionally, the CEO of the Consumer Protection Agency, Kofi Kapito, has urged Ghanaians to boycott Multichoice DSTV and GOTV services.
According to Kofi Kapito, Ghanaians must boycott DSTV and GOTV by switching them off in protest against rising subscription costs.
He confidently emphasised that Multichoice’s exploitation of Ghanaians is enough.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, Kofi Kapito stated, “We can send them a strong message by just showing our displeasure by switching our subscriptions off to let them know that if they don’t reduce it, we will keep disconnecting our subscriptions”.
“We, the consumers who subscribe to their business, are telling them that enough is enough,” he said.
Kofi Kapito added, “They need to listen to the consumer, the subscriber, who makes them money. Just like in any business, if you are selling and I keep telling you that the cost of your product is too high and you don’t listen, if I stop buying from you, eventually your business might fold up. There is some power afforded a consumer to use to let a business understand that they are unhappy with their services”.
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