Govt won’t budge on ultimatum to DStv — Minister
The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam George, has insisted that the August 7, ultimatum to MultiChoice Ghana, operators of DStv, to cut subscription charges in the country by 30 per cent, or risk losing its broadcasting licence in the country will not be compromised.
His comment, contained in a Facebook post yesterday, followed a statement by the company stating its interest in protecting the varied facets of Ghanaian jobs working with the company and having “constructive engagement” with the ministry, upon the minister’s warning issued last Friday.
“This year, in April, at a time the Ghanaian cedi had seen a 10 per cent appreciation against all major currencies, inflation had dropped by over five per cent, and fuel prices had also dropped, DStv announced and implemented a 15 per cent increase,” Mr George said.
He said he was even more convinced in his decision because “the same group operating in Nigeria reversed price increases in Nigeria when the Nigerian authorities sued them.
The Nigerian House of Representatives took the matter up and ordered a suspension of the increases. They complied”.
Suspension
Appearing during the ministry’s Accountability Briefing in Accra, the minister described the current pricing by MultiChoice as exploitative, insisting that the Premium bouquet cost $83 in Ghana but only $29 in Nigeria.
"This is plain stealing. I will not sit idle while Ghanaians are exploited," the minister said.
He said the National Communications Authority (NCA) had been instructed to enforce the suspension if MultiChoice failed to comply by August 7, 2025.
The pay-TV operator had earlier resisted the reduction, citing currency depreciation and operational costs as justification for maintaining its current rates.
The move forms part of the government’s broader efforts to regulate pricing fairness in the telecom and broadcasting sectors.
Data costs slashed
Mr George said effective July 1, 2025, mobile data tariffs were significantly reduced following regulatory interventions.
Major operators, including MTN, Telecel and AirtelTigo, increased data bundle volumes by 10-15 per cent, with MTN’s high-use GH¢399 bundle now offering 214GB instead of 92GB.
“We have fulfilled our promise to make data affordable for Ghanaians,” he said, adding, “This was achieved through a comprehensive reform package, including spectrum reviews and revised licensing conditions.”
Additionally, he said telecom firms had committed to investing $150 million in network improvements by year-end.
The minister noted that the flagship One Million Coders Programme, launched in April, had already trained 859 participants in its pilot phase, with over 52 per cent being women.
The initiative, he said, aimed to equip 50,000 Ghanaians with digital skills by December.
“The overwhelming response, 90,000 applications in 48 hours, shows the hunger for digital opportunity among our youth,” Mr George said.
Regulatory reforms
Mr George said the ministry was drafting 15 new laws, including amendments to the Data Protection Act and the Ghana Startup Bill, to modernise the digital regulatory framework.
He said Ghana’s first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, developed with UNESCO and other partners, was set for Cabinet approval soon.
Touching on the controversial KelniGVG revenue monitoring contract, he said the agreement was being renegotiated following revelations that the company’s fees accounted for 84 per cent of the state’s revenue from international inbound traffic.
“We will not extend this contract,” Mr George said.
He also noted that the Girls-in-ICT initiative trained 1,000 girls in the Volta Region, with plans to expand to the Upper East and Upper West regions.
“We are bridging the gender gap in tech,” he noted.
Notable collaborations include a $1 billion Ghana-UAE Innovation Hub deal and skills training partnerships with Huawei and Google, which will train 100,000 Ghanaians each under the One Million Coders Programme.
He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to an inclusive digital economy.
“We are building a Ghana where every citizen, business, and region benefits from technology,” he said.
Progress
On other subjects, Mr George said the ministry had recorded significant progress in advancing Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, with key achievements in data cost reduction, digital skills development, and regulatory reforms.
He outlined major strides in implementing the government’s RESET agenda, including the successful launch of the One Million Coders Programme, enforcement of fair pricing in the telecom sector, and a crackdown on exploitative broadcasting practices.
