Public Frustration Mounts as Sam George Faces Backlash Over High Cost of Internet Data
Communications Minister Hon. Sam George is facing a wave of public criticism following growing concerns about the high cost of internet data in Ghana, despite earlier promises to reduce it if given the opportunity to serve in government.
The Minister, who has now been in office for five months, finds himself in the eye of a public relations storm as many Ghanaians accuse him of reneging on his strong stance on data pricing while he was in opposition.
Prior to his appointment, Hon. Sam George was one of the loudest critics of the previous Communications Minister, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, accusing her of burdening telecom companies with numerous regulatory tariffs that inflated data costs. He described the move as deceptive and anti-consumer, arguing that these were not statutory taxes but regulatory charges imposed through the National Communications Authority (NCA), and therefore reversible through executive policy, not parliamentary approval.
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Now, with the tables turned, social media is abuzz with frustration and accusations of hypocrisy.
A widely circulated post by a tech advocate on Twitter, @Tech_twi, sharply called out the Minister for what many see as a contradiction.
“You’ve contradicted yourself, Hon. Sam George,” the post read. “In opposition, you called out the former Minister for authorizing a regulatory tariff through the NCA, not a statutory tax passed by Parliament… But now in office, you’re claiming it takes the Finance Minister and Parliament to reverse it?”
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The post referenced Ghana’s own legal framework, citing Section 14 of the National Communications Authority Act (Act 769) and Section 97 of the Electronic Communications Act (Act 775), which empower the Minister for Communications to issue policy directives and revoke tariffs with the advice of the NCA, without requiring full parliamentary approval.
It continued, “Instead of telling Ghanaians your hands are tied, you should be honest: either the will is not there, or you’re shifting responsibility. Don’t call something a scam to win public support, then defend that same system when in power.”
Minister Sam George, in a detailed response, acknowledged the enthusiasm of the tech advocate but insisted that such tariffs, once embedded in government revenue, can only be removed through instruments approved by the Minister of Finance and laid before Parliament.
“No Minister, except the Minister for Finance through an instrument laid before Parliament, can REMOVE any tax or tariff handle as it affects government revenue,” he wrote. “So you may tag me a thousand a post but the fact is… until we get the Minister for Finance to approve the removal or reduction of sector-specific tariffs, it is all enthusiasm and not facts.”
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He added that although tariff reduction is key, other short-term policies are being rolled out through the NCA to bring relief while long-term reforms are discussed with the Finance and Energy Ministries.
However, the explanation has done little to quell public dissatisfaction.
On Facebook, Citizen Nii posted, “Ghanaians were scammed,” while another user, Awini Abdulai Akologo, wrote, “You can do propaganda in opposition but you can’t do propaganda in government.”
EkowPrah3 on X (formerly Twitter) chimed in: “Sam George, this is what @tech_twi is talking about. The data bundle prices are just too expensive. You spoke lengthy on this issue while in opposition and now you’re beating about the bush.”
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Others, like Fifty_Pesewas, suggested that Sam George is simply continuing the same policies he once lambasted. “He did all that so he could also come and force another SIM registration on us. He needs to secure his share of the national cake.”
Public sentiment remains stark: the cost of data remains painfully high, and the perceived disconnect between promises made in opposition and the realities of governance is deepening skepticism among citizens.
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For now, the public is watching closely, not just for words, but for action. Whether Sam George will deliver on his earlier pledges or remain entangled in the politics of deflection may shape his legacy in the digital era.
