Sam Nartey George
The Minority in Parliament has launched a blistering attack on the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, accusing him of populism, deception and gross incompetence in his handling of the dispute with pay-TV operator MultiChoice, owners of DStv.
At a press conference in Parliament yesterday, the Deputy Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Communications and Information, Charles Asuako Owiredu, said the minister’s conduct has embarrassed the country, undermined regulatory processes, and misled Ghanaians with false claims about a supposed breakthrough in negotiations with MultiChoice.
According to him, Minister Sam Nartey George must “render an unqualified apology to Ghanaians” and resign, failing which President John Dramani Mahama must dismiss him.
The controversy began in August when the minister demanded a 30 percent reduction in DStv subscription fees, citing disparities between Ghana and Nigeria.
The DStv premium bouquet costs about $83 in Ghana compared to $29 in Nigeria. Mr. George argued that such a price gap was unjustifiable given the relative strength of the Ghana cedi.
The Minority said MultiChoice, however, rejected the demand as “untenable,” warning that a forced reduction could lead to job losses and diminished service quality.
The Deputy Ranking Member asserted that the company proposed that it could only upgrade consumers to the next bouquet, a position the minister dismissed as illogical.
The Minority noted that efforts by South Africa’s foreign minister to mediate the impasse proved unsuccessful, accusing Sam George of adopting an “intransigent stance.”
Mr. Owiredu said matters came to a head when the Communications Minister publicly declared that he would personally convene a meeting between Ghanaian and South African representatives to ensure a reduction in subscription fees.
The Minority narrated that the minister, at one point, insisted, “I am clear in my mind that the meeting will not come to an end without an agreed price reduction.”
However, on September 29, after weeks of back and forth, Mr. Nartey George announced what he described as a major “success story” – an offer by MultiChoice to allow subscribers to enjoy upgrades to higher packages under its long-running “Step Up” promotion.
The Minority stated that he hailed this as a generational win for Ghanaian consumers.
Mr. Owiredu intimated that this was a blatant distortion of facts, arguing that MultiChoice has been running the “Step Up” campaign in Ghana and other African countries since January 2025, alongside reduced decoder prices.
“To repackage a routine promotion as the outcome of high-level negotiations is deceitful,” he said.
He noted that MultiChoice itself appeared to confirm the Minority’s stance, citing a public statement in which the company denied agreeing to any fee reduction and explaining that the promotion was part of its ongoing consumer appreciation programmes, not a concession extracted by the minister.
“This only proves what we have been saying all along – that the minister either does not understand the issues or is deliberately fabricating victories he has not won,” Mr. Owiredu charged.
“Such behaviour is not only disingenuous, it is dangerous for investor confidence in Ghana’s digital and communications landscape,” he asserted.
The Minority further accused the minister of sidelining regulators such as the National Communications Authority (NCA), usurping their mandate, and adopting an arbitrary decision-making style.
They said his posture violated the President’s own code of conduct for ministers, which requires honesty, candour and respect in public service.
They also demanded accountability for fines reportedly imposed on MultiChoice, questioning how much had been collected and how the proceeds had been used.
“Instead of answering legitimate questions from Ghanaians, the minister resorted to his usual trait of insults and attacks on critics,” Mr. Owiredu said.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House