Minister of Communications, Digital Expertise and Improvements, Samuel George, has revealed that MultiChoice Ghana, the operators of DStv, is concerned in intense behind-the-scenes lobbying to strain him into reversing his directive for a major worth discount.
The minister’s agency stance threatens the corporate’s broadcasting licence, which could possibly be revoked in the event that they fail to adjust to the federal government’s demand.
The ultimatum, which requires DStv, with its headquarters in South Africa, to cut back its subscription charges by 30 per cent, was initially set for August 7 however was later prolonged to September 6, 2025.
The directive follows widespread public outcry and a authorities investigation into DStv’s pricing mannequin, which the minister has repeatedly described as unfair to Ghanaian shoppers.
Talking on the Pleasure FM Tremendous Morning Present, Mr George disclosed that since his public warning, a number of intermediaries believed to be related to DStv have approached members of presidency, trying to melt his place.
He revealed makes an attempt by MultiChoice to rope within the South African authorities to show the matter right into a overseas affairs concern.
The minister, nonetheless, stays unwavering, insisting that the federal government’s main duty is to guard the pursuits of its residents.
“Look, all of the locations they’re strolling round getting the overseas minister of South Africa to name the Ghanaian overseas minister to name me. It isn’t going to work….Look, making it a overseas affairs concern and saying that what? There are South African companies. The largest South African enterprise in Ghana is MTN. Has MTN complained about this? Once I handled MTN, MTN labored with me on the whole lot,” he said.
He continued, “Once I made the case to MTN, I needed extra knowledge for the Ghanaian folks. They stated, ‘Effectively, now we have a problem with the community. We would like extra spectrum’. I yielded. I went to the cupboard and obtained cupboard approval and gave them extra spectrum.”
The minister provided recommendation to companies working in Ghana.
“So, you’re employed together with your regulator within the curiosity of your prospects and within the curiosity of your small business. You do not place your small business curiosity as the one curiosity you’ve got and ignore utterly the buyer curiosity.”
The minister cited stark worth disparities, noting that Ghanaians pay considerably extra for a similar premium packages provided in different African markets like Nigeria, even when accounting for forex fluctuations.
A sample of disrespect and unhealthy religion
The minister painted an image of an organization unwilling to have interaction in good religion, citing a number of situations of what he termed “disrespect”.
He revealed that after he introduced his case, MultiChoice responded not with a counter-offer however with a nine-page letter stuffed with financial forecasts.
“They wrote me a nine-page letter with six graphs and bar charts explaining to me the instability of Ghana’s financial system and the way our cedi appreciation can’t be trusted to be sustainable,” he recounted with disbelief.
Operational failures and income leakage
Past pricing, Mr. George highlighted essential operational failures, chief amongst them being cross-border piracy.
He claimed {that a} staggering “40 to 45% of DStv gadgets in Ghana right this moment are all gadgets from Nigeria”, a state of affairs he says MultiChoice has did not deal with.
This inflow of Nigerian-registered gadgets, he argued, permits MultiChoice to gather income whereas the Ghanaian state loses out on tax, and it artificially suppresses Ghana’s official subscriber numbers, which the corporate then makes use of to justify its excessive costs.
“While you say you’ve got a low subscription in Ghana, it is as a result of your costs aren’t uniform and have led to cross-border piracy in your platform,” he charged.
The minister cited regional precedents the place regulators took a tough line, forcing MultiChoice to regulate its practices.
“In Malawi, in 2023… they only shut them down… MultiChoice went to courtroom, misplaced the case, and 4 months later got here again, provided one week free… and dropped the costs. In Liberia… they slashed the premium package deal by $30. In Nigeria in 2024… the Nigerian Home of Reps handed an instruction prohibiting the will increase.”
Trade reacts as Canal+ takeover looms
The general public standoff comes at a pivotal second for MultiChoice, which is within the closing phases of a whole takeover by French media big Canal+.
The deal, accredited by South Africa’s Competitors Tribunal in July, is anticipated to be finalised quickly.
Responding to the developments, Alex Okyere, Managing Director of MultiChoice Ghana, has beforehand said that the minister’s proposed discount is “not tenable” given the “extraordinarily difficult macroeconomic surroundings”.
In a press release, the corporate warned of the “dire implications that an deadlock might have on livelihoods” and affirmed its dedication to discovering a decision via dialogue.
In Johannesburg, a spokesperson for MultiChoice Group CEO, Calvo Mawela, reiterated their dedication to the Ghanaian market however confused that “pricing is a posh concern influenced by content material acquisition prices, forex volatility, and native operational bills.”
“We should guarantee a sustainable mannequin that permits for continued funding in high quality content material and know-how for our prospects.”
The upcoming change in possession provides a brand new dimension to the battle. Mr George revealed that he has already been in touch with the incoming house owners.
“Canal+ has reached out,” he confirmed, “and I’ve made it clear to them in the event that they wish to come into Ghana and function… that is our request. Canal Plus’s perspective is gentle years extra constructive than that of MultiChoice.”
From Paris, the workplace of Canal+ CEO, Maxime Saada, issued a cautious assertion.
“We’re intently monitoring the state of affairs in Ghana. Canal+ has an extended and profitable historical past of working collaboratively with regulatory our bodies throughout Africa. Upon the profitable completion of our acquisition of MultiChoice, we stay up for participating straight with the Ministry and all stakeholders to construct a future that serves the pursuits of Ghanaian audiences and the artistic business.”
With the 30-day countdown ticking in direction of the September 6 deadline, the way forward for DStv in Ghana hangs within the steadiness.
Customers, caught within the center, are watching keenly to see if the regulatory strain will result in decrease costs or if the EPL and different fashionable content material will go darkish, at the very least briefly, as a brand new French period for the African pay-TV big begins.
What occurs subsequent?
With the September 6 deadline quick approaching, all eyes will likely be on MultiChoice Ghana’s response. Failure to adjust to the directive may result in the unprecedented revocation of its working license, probably leaving thousands and thousands of subscribers in Ghana with out entry to their favorite satellite tv for pc tv content material.
The Ministry of Communications stays steadfast, with Mr George indicating he won’t yield to exterior pressures, emphasising the necessity for overseas corporations working in Ghana to respect native legal guidelines and client pursuits.
This creating story underscores the broader world pattern of governments asserting larger management over pricing and regulatory compliance for worldwide service suppliers working inside their jurisdictions.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Feedback, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform don’t essentially symbolize the views or coverage of Multimedia Group Restricted.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Feedback, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform don’t essentially symbolize the views or coverage of Multimedia Group Restricted.
Source link