The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has revealed that MultiChoice Ghana, operators of DSTV, only decided to comply with the government’s directive at the very last hour because of overwhelming pressure from both the state and the Ghanaian people.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, September 5, Hon. Sam George remarked: “Let’s just say they saw light at the end of the tunnel very late and realised that the ministry was not going to back down. They realised that Ghanaians fully backed the ministry and that the ministry had the support.”
He highlighted that the action taken by the government against DSTV has received rare bipartisan support. “In fact, this is one action the ministry has taken that has bipartisan backing. The NPP has endorsed this, the NDC has endorsed this, and the CPP. Everybody in this country has supported this action because Ghanaians simply say we won’t pay the exorbitant fees again,” the minister said.
On the legality of MultiChoice’s decision to act just 48 hours before the expiration of the suspension notice, Sam George maintained that the company acted within the provisions of the law.
“The law says that when you are going to suspend, issue a 30-day notice. In that 30-day window, they have the opportunity to engage, to remedy the problem. So MultiChoice acting yesterday, 48 hours to the expiration, is fully legal and fully within the law,” he explained.
He further clarified that the law does not require a resolution within the 30 days, but only obliges the company to take action, which DSTV did.
