by Thinus Ferreira
Ghana's communications regulator is doing the bidding of the West African country's posturing communications minister and has now given MultiChoice Ghana 30 days notice that it will be revoking its broadcasting licence.
This government-ordered ultimatum comes after the pay-TV operator failed to adhere to the government's unreasonable demand to lower DStv subscription fees by 30% by Thursday 7 August, with MultiChoice Ghana warning of "dire implications" and major job losses if its business shuts down on 7 September.
Ghana's rundown economy - inflicted by Ghana's government failed economic policies and marked by sluggish growth, rampant inflation and a local currency depreciation of over 200% the past 8 years - is making it extremely hard for private businesses like MultiChoice to operate commercially there.
Like in Nigeria, Zambia and other countries, with inflation and ongoing currency depreciation, private companies are forced to raise prices of services and products in order to continue to operate. This is a principle Ghana's government and its ministers don't seem to grasp.
Now Ghana's National Communications Authority (NCA) has issued a formal notice to MultiChoice Ghana Ltd. that it will revoke its pay-TV licence in 30 days.
"By this notice, MultiChoice Ghana has 30 days within which the company may present its views, or provide remedial action, and submit a written statement of its objections to the suspension of the authorisation," the NCA told MultiChoice.
Ghana's NCA is acting after Ghana's minister of communications and digital technology, Sam Narty George, went on a public offensive against MultiChoice and in July declared - following two meetings with MultiChoice where no agreements were given - that MultiChoice was going to be lowering DStv prices soon.
But MultiChoice in meetings expressly told Sam George that it isn't possible for MultiChoice Ghana to lower DStv prices, that MultiChoice wasn't going to lower prices, and that MultiChoice as a private company must raise subscription fees due to Ghana's inflation rate weakening currency.
Instead of Ghana's politicians and government fixing the country's economy, Ghana's politicians want companies like MultiChoice to run at a loss and go out of business.
What MultiChoice offered to do was to freeze the existing DStv Ghana subscription fees at existing prices and to stop taking money from Ghana through MultiChoice Ghana and MultiChoice Africa back to MultiChoice in South Africa.
Sam George rejected MultiChoice's offer.
In response to a media query, MultiChoice told TVwithThinus MultiChoice "noted with concern statements made by Samuel George regarding DStv pricing in Ghana".
Alex Okyere, MultiChoice Ghana managing director, says "It is regrettable that Sam George has taken this stance, notwithstanding our ongoing endeavours to engage with him candidly and in good faith on this important matter".
"Having operated in Ghana for 30-plus years, we value our employees, contract staff, dealers, installers, agents, and retailers in Ghana."
"We are mindful of the dire implications that an impasse may have on you and your livelihoods," Alex Okyere said.
"MultiChoice values its subscribers and endeavours at all times to keep DStv subscription fees as low as possible, despite the extremely challenging competitive and macro-economic environment in which we operate.
Alex Okyere said "It is not tenable to reduce the DStv subscription fees in the manner proposed by Sam George, noting that MultiChoice "remains committed to constructive engagement with Sam George and to complying with all applicable laws and regulations in Ghana and trusts that the authorities will do likewise".
