There is a new twist towards the amicable resolution to the heightened tension between the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, and the South African-owned MultiChoice over DSTV pricing, as the Minister for Foreign Affairs is said to have stepped into the situation.
This suggests that the situation has escalated to the point that requires diplomatic intervention at the highest levels.
Ghana’s newly appointed High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quarshie, has revealed that the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is now personally involved in brokering a resolution.
Benjamin Quarshie says Ghana’s Chief Diplomatic is currently engaging behind the scenes to ease tensions between the company and the Ministry of Communications, following fierce public exchanges between the company and Sam George amid threats of shutdown.
Pretoria’s Hand in the Talks
In an interview monitored by The High Street Journal, Benjamin Quarshie revealed that Pretoria itself is keen on negotiating a settlement, although they are unhappy with the turn of events.
He notes that the South African government maintains that the issues could have been handled in the boardroom, devoid of the public spectacles.
However, they are willing to go to the negotiation table for the dispute to be resolved amicably.
“I think that this is something that can be resolved amicably. I have privy information that indicates that Pretoria wants to negotiate whatever is happening. The Foreign Affairs Minister has been very instrumental in this, and I’m sure that the Foreign Affairs Minister has been having conversations with the Minister of Communications,” Ghana’s envoy to South Africa said in an interview with Accra-based JoyNews.
He added that, “Negotiations are ongoing. We will be able to resolve this. The forth and back with the statement the Minister gave and what MultiChoice has said this evening, I’m sure that we can streamline it into one thing, that whatever the regulator has asked that they should do, I’m sure that they are a business entity that will comply. But I’m sure this is about negotiation, and the Foreign Affairs Minister has personally told me that he would ensure that.”
Diplomacy Meets Regulatory and Consumer Concerns
The over a month long impasse escalated recently when Sam George accused MultiChoice of backtracking on a supposed price cut for DStv subscriptions, describing it as an act of “bad faith.”
MultiChoice countered with its own statement, sparking confusion and fueling public outrage over what many see as exploitative pricing.
With the Foreign Affairs Minister now stepping in, it appears the issue is shifting from the realm of regulatory enforcement to high-stakes diplomacy. If resolved amicably, it could protect Ghanaian consumers from potential service disruptions while also ensuring that businesses like MultiChoice remain compliant with local regulatory demands.
Why the Foreign Affairs Minister’s Role Matters
Samuel Okudzto Ablakwa’s involvement sends a strong signal that the standoff is not just about pricing but also about Ghana’s credibility in balancing consumer welfare, regulatory enforcement, and foreign investor confidence.
A protracted row could deter investment and threaten the country’s diplomatic relations with South Africa, where MultiChoice is headquartered.
For the High Commissioner, the goal of the negotiation is to ensure affordable, quality service for Ghanaians without burning diplomatic bridges.
“Whatever the regulator has asked them to do, I’m sure they are a business entity that will comply,” he said, adding that the Foreign Affairs Minister personally assured him of ensuring compliance through negotiation.
