Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, says that cross-border piracy of DStv decoders from Nigeria is costing the state significant tax income and undermining the country’s creative industry, even as Ghana secures concessions from the service provider to reduce prices for subscribers.
The minister described decoder piracy as one of the most harmful challenges confronting Ghana’s pay-TV sector, noting that it both drains revenues and strengthens Nigeria’s media production at Ghana’s expense.
Mr George who was speaking on the DStv pricing saga and matters arising on Point of View on Channel One Television hosted by Ace Broadcaster, Bernardino Avle noted that people who engage in the act rid Ghana of taxes which are supposed to be used to fix our social infrastructure.
“We are growing Nigeria’s local content production … and depriving ourselves of this. The tax component goes to the Nigerian government. And the more revenue goes out of Ghana into Nigeria, the more DStv is funding Nigerian productions. We are killing our local content production.”
Sam George disclosed that almost one million “ghost boxes,” DStv decoders bought in Ghana but linked to subscription services from Nigeria, have been deactivated in recent years. He contrasted this with Ghana’s legitimate active subscriber base of around 200,000.
To address the issue, the government has formed a multi-agency working group that includes the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Cyber Security Authority, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Police Service, and other stakeholders working with Multichoice Ghana. “We will get as close to 100% as possible,” George said, acknowledging the technical difficulties in shutting down all illegal devices.
He made it known that Canal+, having taken over Multichoice, will be visiting Ghana. Sam George stressed that senior leadership from Multichoice Ghana, including its global head of regulatory and government affairs and the CEO, were present at the public announcement. “If they had any objections, they were at liberty to speak,” he said, underscoring that the value upgrades had been endorsed at the highest level.
