IMANI Africa has expressed concerns over the government’s approach to addressing high prices, particularly in the case of DStv. According to IMANI, the government’s efforts, while well-intentioned, may not yield lasting results without meaningful structural reforms.
IMANI argues that affordability cannot be achieved through directives alone, but rather through reforming the conditions that make prices high in the first place. These conditions include exchange rate volatility, taxation on digital services, market structure, and operational overheads.
The President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts on governance and economic issues, saying, “Ghana’s failure to curb its addiction to skating on the brink is tantamount to playing with hell fire.” He also emphasized the need for citizen-centric economic recovery efforts, stating, “These people should be answering questions directly that face citizens. Citizen-centric economic recovery efforts are needed.”
IMANI suggests that the government should focus on strengthening competition, reviewing the tax burden on digital services, and enhancing regulatory oversight to achieve sustainable price relief. By supporting alternative platforms, rationalizing taxes, and enforcing content bundling regulations, the government can create an environment where market forces work in favor of consumers.
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, has engaged with MultiChoice Ghana executives to discuss pricing strategies and explore ways to align operations with Ghana’s economic context. However, IMANI believes that real price relief can only be achieved by addressing structural problems such as exchange rate exposure, tax regimes, and regulatory inertia.
Story By: Dennis Ato Keelson
