Charles Owiredu, Deputy Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, has led calls for the resignation of the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, over his handling of the recent standoff with MultiChoice, operators of DStv in Ghana.
At a press conference held in Accra on Thursday, October 2, Owiredu accused the Minister of misleading Ghanaians, wasting public resources, and abandoning his pledge to secure a 30% reduction in DStv subscription fees.
“We of the Minority demand that, one, the Minister renders an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for the waste of the nation’s time and resources on this venture. Two, we call on him to refund the funds levied on DStv.
“And three, we deem him unfit to lead this strategic Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, and therefore call on him to resign, or for His Excellency the President to relieve him of his duties,” Owiredu said.
He added that instead of addressing legitimate questions from the public, including why the Minister prioritized MultiChoice’s PR efforts over his price-reduction agenda and how much revenue has been accrued from fines imposed on the company, Sam George resorted to attacking both the Minority Committee and concerned citizens.
“It is important to note that these promotional offers are standard across several countries and are not the result of any negotiations led by the Minister.
“This is someone who, having failed to deliver on his promises, is now seeking cover behind corporate marketing strategies. The Minister’s failure to grasp key issues during meetings and to communicate the actual negotiated outcomes to Ghanaians—or worse, his deliberate fabrication of what he was never able to broker—is evident,” Owiredu stated.
The Minority in Parliament’s position signals heightened scrutiny on the Ministry, as opposition lawmakers demand accountability over the stalled DStv subscription reduction and what they describe as a pattern of mismanagement under the Minister’s leadership.
