Sam George should stop threatening and tormenting MultiChoice Ghana – ILAPI boss

The Executive Director of the Institute of Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), Peter Bismark Kwofie, has weighed in on the ongoing tussle between the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, and MultiChoice Ghana, operators of DStv.

On the evening of Saturday, September 6, 2025, MultiChoice denied having reached any agreement with the Ministry to reduce its subscription prices.

This came after the minister had revealed at a press conference that the company had agreed to lower its price packages.

He also announced that a committee had been formed to work with the company to finalize the modalities for the reductions.

Reacting to the development, Kwofie accused the minister of “tormenting” MultiChoice Ghana.

In his view, it would have been more reasonable if the government had reduced the cost of doing business before demanding price cuts from DStv.

He argued that it is unreasonable for authorities to threaten a private company to reduce its prices when the operational costs of doing business remain unchanged.

The policy analyst further described the minister’s threat to shut down DStv as a “Rambo-style” tactic that has no basis in sound public policy.

“Ghana has no price control regime and cannot force price reductions down the throat of a business,” Kwofie asserted.

He added that what the pay-TV market needs is healthy competition to drive down subscription costs, rather than government coercion. He advised the minister to focus on encouraging new investments in the sector to create competition, which would naturally lower prices.

“This is populism, not public policy. Free market!” he emphasised, declaring his support for MultiChoice Ghana.

Read Kwofie’s full statement below:

“The minister of Communications, Sam Dzata George, has been tormenting DStv to reduce prices for subscribers. Conversely, the government has not reduced a single business operation requirement but expects the private business to reduce prices.

The Rambo-style threat to shut down DStv (a private business) by the Minister is not a principle of public policy. Ghana has no price control regime and cannot force price reductions down the throat of a business.

Once again, DStv only needs a competitor, and that’s what the Minister must champion by encouraging businesses to invest in the sector.

Competition would organically reduce prices, not legal coercion.

This is populism, not public policy. Free market!

I stand with MultiChoice Ghana.”