President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has cautioned Communication Minister Samuel Nartey George to refrain from what he describes as “playground bullying tactics” in his handling of the ongoing standoff with DStv.
According to him, the approach adopted by the Minister to push for a reduction in subscription prices for Ghanaian DStv users was poorly managed.
Speaking on JoyFM’s NewsNight on Wednesday, October 1, Mr. Cudjoe urged the minister to take a broader view of the communications industry, stressing that it holds immense potential for the country if managed with vision and collaboration.
“My brother Sam, take your time. This industry is good. It’s an industry that can be leveraged for good for the country.
“Stop these playground bullying tactics. It doesn’t help. Look at the bigger picture, optimize the value in that industry, and then you will improve it,” he advised.
He argued that the matter should not have required the direct involvement of the Minister but could have been addressed by the National Communications Authority (NCA) or a subordinate official.
“I do not like to see a regulator being like a bully and then basically harassing everybody around the place… I don’t understand why the minister actually became a poster child of DStv,” he said.
While acknowledging the minister’s controversial comments about industry players, Mr. Cudjoe maintained that the issue does not warrant calls for his resignation.
He noted that, unlike past scandals, Mr. George has not been accused of corruption.
“To put him out there and tell him to go because he made very infantile, quite disingenuous, and quite outrageous insults on most of us, I wouldn’t even say to leave,” he said.
The IMANI Africa President added that Mr. George should rather focus on reforms that will benefit both consumers and the state.