The Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, has said the government’s efforts to reduce DStv subscription prices are aimed at making legitimate access to television content more affordable and discouraging viewers from resorting to pirated services.
Speaking during a media engagement, Hon. Sam George explained that reducing the cost of accessing DStv was a key part of the government’s broader strategy to combat piracy, particularly the use of illegal streaming devices commonly referred to as “ghost boxes”.
According to him, making piracy a high-risk activity must be accompanied by affordable alternatives to ensure that consumers can continue to enjoy television content without resorting to illegal platforms.
“If you’re going to make it a high-risk enterprise for people to use pirated boxes, then you must make it a low-entry access for everybody,” he said.
The minister disclosed that extensive discussions had been held with Canal+ and MultiChoice to establish affordable subscription packages for Ghanaian consumers ahead of a planned crackdown on piracy.
He noted that the government was mindful of the possibility that efforts to block illegal streaming services could create difficulties for consumers who genuinely wanted to access premium content but found existing subscription prices expensive.
Hon. Samuely Nartey George expressed appreciation to Canal+ and MultiChoice for working with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations to arrive at what he described as a more accessible pricing arrangement.
He highlighted the reduction in the cost of the sports package, which he said had moved from about GH¢875 to GH¢563 before reaching GH¢250 under the latest arrangement.
According to him, the reduction represents a saving of more than 60 per cent for customers who previously paid about GH¢875 for the package.
Sam George said the new pricing structure was intended to give consumers a compelling reason to subscribe through legitimate channels rather than depend on pirated television services.
He added that the government had made significant progress in developing measures to tackle piracy, with the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) reviewing the proposed solutions.
Sam George, however, said the government was awaiting the Attorney-General’s legal opinion before proceeding with the full implementation of the anti-piracy measures.
He maintained that the government’s approach was to combine stronger enforcement with affordable access to television content, stressing that the ultimate objective was to protect consumers while addressing illegal streaming activities.
The minister said further details of the agreed subscription packages would be announced by the Canal+ team.
