The ongoing debate over DSTV subscription fees is taking on a diplomatic dimension, with confirmation that the South African Foreign Minister will fly into Accra this week to meet Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The disclosure was made by Charles Wiredu, Deputy Ranking Member on the Information and Communications Committee of Parliament, during an interview with ABC News GH on Monday, September 8, 2025.
According to Mr. Wiredu, the visit is expected to address the DSTV subscription price saga and other essential bilateral issues between Ghana and South Africa.
“I have also been told that the South African Foreign Minister will be coming in this week to meet our Foreign Minister on this particular matter. So this meeting today will serve as an icebreaker for the subsequent meetings that are going to happen,” he explained.
Mr. Wiredu underscored the concerns of Ghanaian subscribers, noting that while Ghanaians value the services of MultiChoice, they are not prepared to accept pricing structures that exploit consumers.
“We wish both sides will appreciate the concerns of Ghanaians, that Ghanaians do not want MultiChoice to go, likewise we don’t want the company to fleece us. We want them to continue operating but at a cost that will not be inimical,” he said, adding that DSTV services cannot be regarded as a necessity.
His comments come as MultiChoice Ghana faces mounting regulatory pressure.
On Sunday, September 7, 2025, the National Communications Authority (NCA) announced that MultiChoice Ghana had agreed to a directive from the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation for the establishment of a Stakeholder Committee to review DSTV subscription prices.
The company confirmed its readiness to fully participate in the process.
The first meeting of the committee was held on Monday, September 8, 2025.
The committee, chaired by Minister Samuel Nartey George, includes representatives from the NCA, MultiChoice Ghana, and MultiChoice Africa.
It has been given a strict 14-day mandate to evaluate and propose new subscription fees by September 21, 2025.
For many Ghanaians, the developments mark a turning point in a long-standing grievance over rising subscription costs.
The upcoming meeting between Ghana’s Foreign Minister and his South African counterpart is expected to deepen dialogue on fair pricing while balancing Ghana’s consumer concerns with South Africa’s corporate interests in MultiChoice.
BY Ruth Sekyi – [email protected]
