Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George says the government is using direct engagement with telecommunications and digital service providers to secure better value for Ghanaian consumers.

He said the approach had already produced improvements in mobile data allocations, fixed broadband pricing and pay-TV packages, with the aim of reducing the financial burden on households and businesses that depend increasingly on digital services.

Speaking on Monday, September 7, at the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House in Accra, Mr George said the Ministry had chosen engagement and negotiation over simply issuing statements whenever consumers raised concerns about the cost of digital services.

“When Ghanaians told us that pay-television had become unaffordable, we did not simply issue a statement — we acted,” he said.

Mr George said the Ministry’s engagements with mobile network operators resulted in MTN increasing data volumes by 15 per cent, while Telecel and AirtelTigo each increased theirs by 10 per cent. He added that further discussions had also led to significant reductions in fibre broadband prices.

“Ghanaian families and enterprises are today getting more data dramatically, on both their phones and their fixed lines, for less money than they paid a year ago,” he said.

The Minister said the results demonstrated the Ministry’s commitment to representing consumers in its dealings with industry, stressing: “This is the return of a Ministry that understands this industry from the inside and negotiates on behalf of the Ghanaian consumer, not on behalf of the operators.”