Minority demands resignation of Communications Minister over MultiChoice standoff
The Minority in Parliament has called for the resignation of the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, over what they describe as his failed handling of the recent dispute with MultiChoice, operators of DStv in Ghana.
At a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 2, Deputy Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, Charles Owiredu, accused the Minister of misleading the public, wasting state resources, and abandoning his own commitment to secure a 30% reduction in DStv subscription fees.
“We of the Minority demand, first, that the Minister renders an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for the waste of national time and resources on this venture. Second, he must refund the funds levied on DStv. Third, we find him unfit to lead this strategic ministry and therefore call on him to resign—or for the President to relieve him of his duties,” Owiredu declared.
The Minority argued that the Minister had reneged on his bold promise of securing a 30% subscription cut, only to later portray MultiChoice’s routine promotional campaign as a “generational success.” According to them, this amounted to a betrayal of public trust and a failure to deliver on his own promises.
Owiredu accused the Minister of evading accountability:
“Instead of answering legitimate questions from Ghanaians—such as why he prioritised MultiChoice’s PR spin over his price-reduction agenda, or how much revenue has been raised from fines imposed on MultiChoice—the Minister resorted to attacking the Minority and well-meaning citizens.”
He pointed out that MultiChoice had already been running its “Step Up” promotion since January 13, 2025, allowing subscribers to upgrade to higher packages at no extra cost, and had further slashed decoder prices in July as a customer appreciation initiative. These, he stressed, were “standard offers rolled out across several countries, not the product of any government-led negotiations.”
The Minority further criticised the Minister’s performance in parliamentary engagements, accusing him of lacking “the intellectual rigour” to engage on complex issues and even fabricating claims about negotiations that never took place.
Meanwhile, MultiChoice Ghana, on Wednesday, October 1, issued a clarification, confirming its support for the government’s recently announced DStv value upgrade. The company acknowledged that a misleading FAQ published on its website had caused public confusion, creating the impression of a contradiction between the Minister’s statement and a new three-month DStv promotion (October–December 2025).
In its statement, MultiChoice outlined three clarifications:
The company fully supports the joint statement with the Minister regarding the value upgrade for DStv packages and has already begun implementation.
A review committee will reconvene in three months to assess the impact of the initiative, with adjustments possible based on feedback.
The offer applies to all customers—new, returning, and existing—with no restrictions on bouquet choices.
MultiChoice also apologised for the earlier website FAQs, admitting they created a misleading impression of disagreement with the government’s announcement.
