Ghana’s combative Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George fired a brutal ultimatum at MultiChoice Ghana (DStv): chop your “sky-high” subscription rates by Sept. 6 — or see your Ghanaian licence pulled.
Speaking at a Digital Africa summit in Accra, George thundered that “no company or corporate entity is more powerful than the collective interest of the Ghanaian people,” promising to “shut down the operations” of DStv’s local arm if it refuses to comply.
The showdown stems from DStv’s rejection of a 30% price-cut demand, which regulators say is long overdue.
George blasted the broadcaster for exploiting Ghanaian consumers – pointing out that the cedi has soared ~40% against the dollar this year, yet DStv still charges Ghanaian subscribers about $83 for its top package compared to roughly $29 in Nigeria. “My fidelity lies with the Ghanaian people. They have been cheated for years,” he fumed, insisting it’s time to end the rip-off.
Government Clamps Down with Threats and Fines
The ultimatum is backed by hard action. In early August, George ordered the National Communications Authority (NCA) to begin suspension proceedings if DStv failed to cut prices by Aug. 7. When the deadline passed with no compromise, the NCA formally issued a 30-day licence suspension notice on Aug. 7.
George then cranked up the pressure: on Aug. 15 regulators slapped DStv with a GH¢10,000-per-day fine for repeatedly missing data-reporting deadlines.
That fine has already piled up to roughly GH¢150,000 owed by DStv.
Now Mr. George has drawn his hard line: MultiChoice has until Sept. 6 to agree to “fair pricing” or face a shutdown. “They have up to the 6th of September. If there is no resolution, we will shut down the operations of MultiChoice,” he warned flatly. Government spokesmen say officials will meet DStv “tomorrow” (Sept. 4) to seek a deal – but George made clear he won’t blink on the 30% cut demand.
MultiChoice Pushes Back
MultiChoice Ghana has pushed back furiously. In a public statement issued Aug. 3, the company called the 30% price-cut demand “not tenable” under current condition. Managing Director Alex Okyere warned that slashing subscription fees by that margin would force job cuts and shrink customer choice, given the costs of content and operations.
He noted MultiChoice’s 30-year presence in Ghana and said the firm has already proposed alternative solutions – for example, “maintaining current pricing while halting revenue remittances to headquarters” – to resolve the impasse.
The company insists it has “endeavoured at all times to keep DStv fees as low as possible” and is committed to obeying Ghanaian law, but it simply cannot absorb a one-size-fits-all 30% cut without risking service quality. George has publicly rejected those offers as “illogical,” and even questioned why DStv complied with a Nigerian court order to freeze fees but won’t do the same in Ghana.
Consumer Uproar and the Stakes Ahead
The dispute has ignited a public firestorm. Consumer groups and politicians – including MPs in the minority – have cheered George’s price-war stance.
Even Nana Yaa Jantuah, a prominent presidential aide, blasted DStv’s foreign content as “horrible” and threw her weight behind demands for cheaper TV.
Many ordinary Ghanaians have taken to social media complaining that they were being held hostage by a monopoly with outdated programming. That said, some analysts caution that heavy-handed rate control could scare off investors and set a tricky precedent for regulating private businesses.
The numbers at stake are huge: DStv has millions of subscribers in Ghana and hundreds of local employees, all of whom would be directly affected if the lights go out. DStv broadcasts everything from Premier League soccer to movie channels, so a shutdown would leave many Ghanaian viewers abruptly cut off.
If the deadline passes without an agreement, the government says the DStv licence will indeed be suspended – meaning no DStv on Ghanaian screens. As Sam George put it, “No company is more powerful than the people of Ghana.”
Potential impact: If MultiChoice refuses the cut, Ghana might see its most drastic media shakeup in years. MultiChoice warns of layoffs and fewer channels; supporters point out subscribers would finally get a fair break; and everyone expects more drama before the Sept. 6 showdown.
For now, all eyes are on DStv – will they blink and roll back prices, or gamble on a government-enforced blackout?
