{"id":89433,"date":"2025-08-12T11:33:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T11:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=89433"},"modified":"2025-08-12T11:33:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T11:33:06","slug":"sam-george-breaks-down-impasse-with-dstv-on-joy-fms-sms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=89433","title":{"rendered":"Sam George breaks down impasse with DStv on Joy FM\u2019s SMS"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>4 Minute, 35 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, has provided details of the standoff with satellite television provider MultiChoice, operator of DStv, accusing the company of disrespect, systemic operational failures, and a history of \u201cfleecing\u201d Ghanaian consumers.<\/p>\n

In an interview on Joy FM\u2019s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, August 12, the minister detailed a breakdown in negotiations over subscription prices, culminating in a 30-day notice to suspend the company\u2019s broadcasting licence, which is set to take effect on September 6.<\/p>\n

At the heart of the dispute is the minister\u2019s non-negotiable demand for a 30% reduction in DStv subscription fees.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had made a request for 30%,\u201d Mr. George stated. \u201cThere\u2019s a reason behind the 30%. In April this year, MultiChoice increased their prices by 15%\u2026 at that time, the cedi had appreciated by about 10% against the dollar\u2026 So there was absolutely no justification for that 15%. So I\u2019m reversing that 15% and then demanding a further 15% for the Ghanaian people.\u201d<\/p>\n

A pattern of disrespect and bad faith<\/strong><\/p>\n

The minister painted a picture of a company unwilling to engage in good faith, citing several instances of what he termed \u201cdisrespect\u201d. <\/p>\n

He revealed that after he presented his case, MultiChoice responded not with a counter-offer but with a nine-page letter filled with economic forecasts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wrote me a nine-page letter with six graphs and bar charts explaining to me the instability of Ghana\u2019s economy and how our cedi appreciation cannot be trusted to be sustainable,\u201d he recounted with disbelief. <\/p>\n

\u201cI wrote back to them and asked them, \u2018Since when did MultiChoice become an economic forecasting institution?\u2019 \u2026 and sent them links from the IMF, Fitch, and Standard & Poor\u2019s on the future outlook of Ghana\u2019s economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The standoff escalated when MultiChoice allegedly attempted to bypass the ministry. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey wrote to my regulator, the NCA [National Communications Authority], asking the NCA to write to them confirming that the NCA would not comply with my directive as minister\u2026 You write to my regulator; you don\u2019t copy me,\u201d the minister fumed.<\/p>\n

Operational failures and revenue leakage<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beyond pricing, Mr. George highlighted critical operational failures, chief among them being cross-border piracy. <\/p>\n

He claimed that a staggering \u201c40 to 45% of DStv devices in Ghana today are all devices from Nigeria\u201d, a situation he says MultiChoice has failed to tackle.<\/p>\n