Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has outlined plans to set up a multi-agency working group to tackle the persistent problem of DStv decoder piracy across Ghana’s borders.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Minister revealed that the illegal importation of decoders from Nigeria has deprived the state of significant revenue, weakened local industry, and harmed consumer protection.
“The committee considered the issue of cross-border piracy of DStv decoders from Nigeria into Ghana, which has for years deprived the state of tax revenue, transferred jobs from Ghana to Nigeria, denied unsuspecting customers good customer service, and is actively working towards the decline of Ghanaian local content creation space,” he explained.
According to him, the multi-agency group will bring together relevant state institutions to develop coordinated strategies to halt the illicit trade. “I will work with heads of the above agencies to establish the working group in due course to comprehensively tackle this issue of cross-border piracy,” he added.
The Minister’s statement highlights growing concerns about the economic impact of piracy in the pay-TV sector. Apart from the revenue loss to the state, local content producers have expressed fears that the widespread use of illegally imported decoders undermines their ability to earn fair compensation for their work.
The planned working group is expected to include agencies from the communications, security, and trade sectors to ensure a robust, long-term solution to the problem.
