Ghana’s government has issued an ultimatum to satellite broadcaster DStv, demanding a reduction in subscription prices by Thursday or risk suspension of its broadcasting licence.
Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George stated that he had directed the National Communications Authority to initiate suspension procedures against MultiChoice Ghana, the operator of DStv, should it fail to meet regulatory expectations for a price reduction by the August 7 deadline.
“I have directed the NCA to act swiftly. If by the 7th of August DStv has not complied, their broadcasting licence will be suspended,” George said.
The dispute began after DStv declined a government proposal to cut subscription fees by 30%. Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George criticised the company for citing the cedi’s depreciation—over 200% in the past eight years—as justification for its pricing, dismissing the explanation as insufficient given Ghana’s current economic difficulties.
“My fidelity lies with the Ghanaian people. They have been cheated for years, and it is time we put an end to that,” George said.
MultiChoice Ghana, a subsidiary of South Africa’s MultiChoice Group, rejected the government’s demand for a 30% fee reduction, calling it “not tenable” in a statement issued on Sunday. The company cited prevailing economic conditions and the need to preserve service quality.
Managing Director Alex Okyere cautioned that enforced price cuts could lead to job losses and limit customer options. He noted that MultiChoice had presented alternative proposals to both the Minister and the National Communications Authority (NCA).
In response, Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George took to X to dismiss those proposals, questioning why MultiChoice complied with a court ruling to freeze price increases in Nigeria but refused to do the same in Ghana.
Among the proposals, DStv offered to retain current subscription rates while suspending revenue remittances to its headquarters—an offer George criticised as “illogical.”
