Sam George Stands Firm on DSTV Price Reduction, Sets August 7 Deadline for Regulatory Action

Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, has doubled down on his resolve to secure a fairer subscription rate for DSTV customers in Ghana, vowing that concrete regulatory action will be taken by Wednesday, August 7, 2025, if the broadcaster fails to comply.

In a strongly worded Facebook post, Sam George responded to calls from the NPP minority members of Parliament’s Communications Select Committee for engagement, assuring them of his respect for parliamentary oversight and his readiness to provide a full update once the regulatory process is concluded.

“I can assure the Committee as a whole that the Ministry will provide a full update when we complete our regulatory actions on 7th August,” he stated.

The minister outlined a detailed timeline of his engagements with MultiChoice, operators of DSTV, revealing that he first met with the Ghanaian management on June 27, 2025, to raise concerns about high subscription costs and content piracy on the platform. A follow-up meeting with the company’s headquarters management took place on July 4—a public holiday—during which he tabled a request for a 30% price reduction and stronger anti-piracy measures.

“DSTV responded with a 9-page letter on 21st July. If the 1-page letter annoyed you, imagine what was in the 9-pager,” he remarked, suggesting that the company’s response reinforced its unwillingness to address the pricing concerns.

According to Sam George, the ministry’s decision to issue a policy directive is a “last resort” aimed at protecting consumers from what he described as “a recalcitrant monopoly that has become tone-deaf to the cries of their customers.”

He emphasized that if DSTV fails to comply by August 7, the National Communications Authority (NCA) will enforce sanctions under the Electronic Communications Act, Act 775, and the terms of DSTV’s license authorization. “We would act within the law and in the interest of the Ghanaian people. The RESET agenda demands this action for sanity to prevail,” he said.

The minister’s statement follows an official declaration of support from the Minority Caucus in Parliament for Ghanaians protesting the high cost of DSTV packages. In a statement signed by Kpandai MP Matthew Nyindam on Sunday, August 3, the caucus described the grievances as “valid and long overdue,” while urging an immediate halt to the escalating public exchange between the minister and MultiChoice Ghana.

The minority warned that the ongoing spat could harm investor confidence and consumer trust if not resolved diplomatically. Nonetheless, they backed the ministry’s stance, pointing out that DSTV subscription rates in Ghana are disproportionately higher than in neighboring countries.

“We fully support the advocacy initiated by patriotic citizens… We agree that subscription fees must be set fairly and reflect the realities of Ghana’s economy,” the statement noted.

The dispute stems from DSTV’s refusal to lower its rates despite a recent appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi and a decline in inflation. MultiChoice Ghana, led by Managing Director Alex Okyere, has maintained that a reduction is not feasible under current operational conditions, rejecting claims that it had dismissed the cedi’s recovery as a “fluke.”

For Sam George, however, the matter is not one of corporate convenience but consumer rights. “I have always approached this matter with one goal: a fair price for the Ghanaian people,” he stressed, pledging to remain accountable to citizens in his role as minister.

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