DStv shutdown to proceed over price dispute – Sam George
Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George has warned that the government will proceed to shut down MultiChoice Ghana’s DStv operations if the company refuses to engage in talks to reduce subscription prices.
His comments come after MultiChoice Ghana publicly denied agreeing to lower its DStv fees, despite the government’s formation of a joint committee to explore pricing reductions.
In a statement on Friday, September 5, 2025, the company said it remains open to dialogue but has made no commitments on cutting costs.
Earlier that day, the Minister announced the creation of a five-member committee including representatives from the Ministry, the National Communications Authority (NCA), MultiChoice Ghana, and MultiChoice Africa to develop a price reduction strategy for DStv customers.
In a Facebook post, Mr. George responded to the company’s stance, revealing that MultiChoice had initially signaled a willingness to negotiate and had even requested a suspension of regulatory action.
However, if the company now refuses to engage, he warned that the government will move forward with enforcement.
“Let me be clear, I have no intention to tolerate continued disrespect to Ghanaians by DStv. If MultiChoice is no longer interested in dialogue on reducing prices as they now claim, we will proceed with the shutdown as planned,” he said.
He emphasized that no company is above the law and called on MultiChoice to return to the table if they are ready to cooperate.
“Until then, there is nothing left to discuss. The NCA will enforce the law,” he added.
Mr. George reiterated Ghana’s openness to business but insisted that companies must respect national laws and regulatory bodies.
The standoff has intensified in recent weeks, with MultiChoice already facing a GH¢10,000 daily fine for failing to submit pricing data required under the Electronic Communications Act.
The Ministry has also warned that DStv’s licence could be suspended if fees were not adjusted by September 6.