₦airaland Forum

Ghana’s government has issued an ultimatum to satellite broadcaster DStv to reduce subscription prices by Thursday, or face a suspension of its broadcasting licence.

Minister for Communications, Samuel George, said he had directed the National Communications Authority to initiate suspension proceedings against MultiChoice Ghana, the local operator of DStv, if the company fails to comply with regulatory expectations for a price cut.

“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.


He accused the company of overpricing its services despite favourable exchange rate conditions, citing its 15% subscription hike in April as unjustified in light of the cedi’s appreciation.

The standoff follows DStv’s rejection of a government proposal to slash subscription fees by 30%.

George criticised the company’s defence, citing a 200% depreciation of the cedi over eight years, as inadequate given the country’s current economic realities.

“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 in a statement on Sunday, saying it was “not tenable” due to prevailing economic conditions and the need to maintain service quality.

Managing Director, Alex Okyere, warned that enforcing price cuts could threaten jobs and reduce customer choice.

He said the company had submitted alternative proposals to the minister and the NCA.

In response, George took to X (Formerly Twitter) to reject the proposals and questioned why the company complied with a court order to suspend price increases in Nigeria, but refused to do the same in Ghana.

DStv had offered to maintain its current pricing while halting revenue remittances to its headquarters, an option George described as illogical.

Source: https://punchng.com/Ghana-threatens-to-suspend-DSTV-licence-over-price-hike

DStv just dey get gbos gbas for every country. I think say na only for Nigeria

Country that works
Nigerian government will rather collect bribe from DSTV at the expense of their citizens

Way to go. A sane government shouldn't allow an expatriate firm to keep extorting their citizenry irrationally and disproportionately.
DSTV and MTN are profiteering organizations run by Shylocks.

Good move from ghana,I wish 9ja can follow suite
Say no to extortion.

That is country that work, but here Na dstv dey threatened us and the useless people in government will do nothing. It will shock that most politician in this country are benefiting from the nonsense show name big brother naija

Can't compare this to Nigeria because the Naira has depreciated significantly, so the price hike in Nigeria is well justified.

Ghana dey run government like government.
But Nigeria… na wa oo. But Nigerian government dey press neck and hunger join.

modsareuseless:
Country that works
Nigerian government will rather collect bribe from DSTV at the expense of their citizens

You mean those upper and lower chambers of thieves.

Ok they should reduce the price na next week league dey start

Must you use DSTV?
They should stop taxing DSTV too.

modsareuseless:
Country that works
Nigerian government will rather collect bribe from DSTV at the expense of their citizens

honestly. Those politician are benefiting from it here. They collect kickback from dstv too not only from contractors

Infact dstv na scam.they did dia upgrade fpr my sub. Since last week..I don dey find where the other stations dey dem say not allowed to watch.
I chat customer care. Na robot dey chat me.
I get sub for dstv but I always dey off my telly.i can't be watching tnt and movies of 1999.for 2025

Solsix:
DStv just dey get gbos gbas for every country. I think say na only for Nigeria

Which Nigeria ?

Which law has Nigerian government put in place to checkmate DStv excesses?

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/Ghana-threatens-to-suspend-DSTV-licence-over-price-hike

My ordinary star times decoder, I pack am up.
I watch football with app, download movies if I feel like watching, read news on social media or their platforms. I don't see a need for overpriced cable TV.

modsareuseless:
Country that works
Nigerian government will rather collect bribe from DSTV at the expense of their citizens

The government should open their own cable tv company. They should not meddle in the operation of a private company.

There are two sides to this. Every party should try to be considerate. No one should oppress another.

A good distraction to leave Nigerians alone.
Now, they can go in droves and protest against DSTV.

Good. The prices have to come down. Say NO to exploitation

The monopoly or DSTV in Africa ehnnnn. What happened to HITV?

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/Ghana-threatens-to-suspend-DSTV-licence-over-price-hike

DStv is feeling the heat from governments across West Africa.

Dstv really need to wake up. They are struggling in Nigeria and now Ghana. Soon they will be begging people to buy decoder for free

Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation is just there

Government that has the guts
No be Nigerian govt

Ghana pass Nigeria in terms of leadership very far

That's the issue with unstable Forex rate everybody hike things Dollar don go down nobody wan adjust again...

How many DStv subscribers are in Ghana sef ? I guess some states in Nigeria have more subscribers than Ghana, I am saying this because their beef is that Nigeria is paying less in dollar terms.

The minister needs to be taught something called economy of scale.

Ghana is simply saying: fair pricing or no licence. If Nigerians can challenge DStv in court and win, why not Ghana? Consumers deserve value, not monopoly bullying wrapped in "economic conditions

A country that is working. If na ma country, dem go do initial gra gra, b4 u knw, dem don approve am.

In Nigeria, it's only threats and after that?

Nothing again