Sam George told Bernard Avle in an interview monitored by MyNewsGh that his directive to MultiChoice was driven by consumer protection, not by an appetite to harm the broadcaster’s business.
“I didn’t set out to go and destroy the DTV’s business. I had one sole goal to achieve more for the Ghanaian people for the service that they paying,” he said, defending the ministry’s role in pressing for price adjustments.
The minister described the exchange with the company as a negotiation shaped by data. He said the ministry had requested subscriber analytics that revealed customer behaviour and seasonal upgrades around major competitions, information used to design bouquet-agnostic changes.
When critics pointed out an earlier April price rise, George rejected simple reversal rhetoric and flagged process; “the key word was manner,” he said, arguing it was the approach that mattered and that the ministry sought a solution that preserved service while cutting cost to consumers.
He also rejected an alternative proposal from the firm — an offer to keep higher collection at local level while preventing remittance to headquarters, calling it illogical.
“In all honesty that offer lacks any logic in my estimation,” he said, and insisted transparency and accountability must guide any commercial accommodation with state goals.
“To police the market, the minister announced a standing review of pricing and piracy every three months, signalling the ministry will keep regulatory pressure on as it monitors outcomes.
