President John Mahama has banned the use of DSTV and other satellite television subscriptions at the Jubilee House, with plans underway to extend the policy to all government agencies.
The move, according to the government, is part of a broader cost-saving agenda to eliminate non-essential public spending and demonstrate modesty in governance.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Evans Mensah on JoyNews, the Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Ofosu Kwakye, disclosed that no office at the presidency is currently allowed to subscribe to pay-TV services.
“I can reveal to you that if you come to this house, there’s no office in this house that is allowed to subscribe to DSTV or any satellite television,” he said.
“You would say that that is a trivial matter, but he has done that. Because when you computed the cost, it was significant money.”
Mr. Ofosu Kwakye added that the directive is already being enforced at the presidency and will soon apply across all public institutions.
“You can turn on the television that you see here, you will find that I’m only limited to local television stations. It is something that will be extended to all government agencies to ensure that we don’t waste the taxpayers’ money.”
He noted that more cost-cutting measures will be announced soon as part of the administration’s efforts to make governance more efficient and transparent.
“This is a man deeply committed to making savings for the Ghanaian people. Governance necessarily involves taking tough decisions… but the citizenry must see corresponding levels of modesty on the part of government officials—and that’s what President Mahama is committed to doing,” he said.
Source: Myjoyonline