Former Presidential Candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr. Bernard Monnah, has taken a swipe at the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Mr. Sam Nartey George, over the government’s recent deal with MultiChoice Ghana.

Speaking on Ghana Nkosuo Morning Show hosted by Yaa Titi on CTV, Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Mr. Monnah argued that the Minister does not deserve praise for the outcome of negotiations with the pay-TV operator.

According to him, Ghanaians had been promised a direct reduction in DSTV subscription prices to match the prevailing economic hardship, but what was delivered was merely “package upgrades” disguised as relief.

“What we set out for was price reduction and not package increment,” Mr. Monnah stressed.

He further urged the Minister to “be honest with Ghanaians by admitting that he failed to secure a price cut instead of justifying his failure with more channels.”

His comments come a day after Mr. Sam George announced what he described as a landmark agreement between the government and MultiChoice Ghana.

The deal, reached after consultations involving the Ministry, the National Communications Authority (NCA), MultiChoice Africa, and MultiChoice Ghana, introduces a new pricing and content structure expected to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Tackling Decoder Piracy

One of the central issues addressed during negotiations was the cross-border piracy of DSTV decoders from Nigeria into Ghana — a practice said to have deprived the state of tax revenue, shifted jobs away from Ghana, and undermined consumer service quality.

A working group has been set up to implement anti-piracy measures.

New Pricing and Package Structure

Under the new arrangement, DSTV subscribers will not see direct price reductions but will receive more content at current or slightly adjusted rates:

Padi bouquet (GH₵ 99): Upgraded to Access with 35 additional channels (40% savings).

Access bouquet (GH₵ 190): Upgraded to Family with 19 more channels (48% savings).

Family package (GH₵ 380): Upgraded to Compact with 22 additional channels, including live football (50% savings).

Compact package (GH₵ 570): Upgraded to Compact Plus with 12 extra channels (33% savings).

Compact Plus package (GH₵ 865): Upgraded to Premium with 18 more channels (34% savings).

Additionally, new customers will benefit from a GH₵ 555 subsidy on Zap decoder and dish kits, reducing the purchase cost by half.

Government Welcomes the Move

Minister Sam George praised MultiChoice for showing goodwill, noting that the restructured packages will provide relief to households and improve customer experience while ensuring long-term sustainability of the pay-TV market. The stakeholder committee is expected to reconvene in three months to assess the policy’s impact.

 

Despite this, critics like Mr. Monnah insist the government failed to secure what Ghanaians truly wanted: real reductions in subscription costs rather than incremental package offers.