President John Dramani Mahama has reportedly taken a bold step to curb excessive government spending by cancelling all satellite television subscriptions at the Jubilee House — a move that is saving the presidency approximately GH₵120,000 every month.
This was revealed by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, during an interview on the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
“When we came to the Jubilee House, there were multiple subscriptions in addition to the local channels that we watched,” Kwakye Ofosu disclosed.
“When we took stock and did the calculations, we realised we were spending about GH₵120,000 monthly just on satellite subscriptions. President Mahama has cancelled all of that.”
The minister stressed the impracticality and insensitivity of such expenditure in the face of basic needs in many parts of the country.
He noted that the president’s directive is not just symbolic but a necessary shift toward fiscal discipline.
“There are communities where a broken water pump costing GH₵1,000 is all that stands between them and access to clean water. Yet, here we were spending GH₵120,000 just to watch TV,” he lamented.
According to Kwakye Ofosu, the move is part of a broader campaign to cut down on non-essential government spending, ensuring that public funds are redirected to critical sectors such as health, water, education, and rural infrastructure.
The cancellation directive now prohibits all offices within the presidency from maintaining any paid satellite TV subscriptions — including DStv and similar services — reinforcing Mahama’s stance on prioritizing impactful governance over luxury.
This development is likely to fuel conversations around government expenditure habits, especially as the public increasingly demands transparency and value for money from public officials.
