DStv shuns court order, enforces hiked prices
Multichoice Nigeria, the operator of DSTV, has ignored the court order halting its hike in subscription fees and has gone ahead to enforce the new price at all of its outlets.
When TheCable visited the Multichoice outlet in Bariga, Lagos, under the guise of purchasing a DSTV bouquet, there was a detailed information on the front desk with information about both the old and new prices.
The sales attendant confirmed the implementation of the new price, saying: “It used to be N1,500 (for the cheapest package) but now its N1,800.”
Asked why it was no longer N1,500?, she answered: “Because it has been increased.”
Asked why the company ignored the court injunction restraining the implementation of the hiked prices, she said: “They have not given us the go-ahead to revert to the old price.”
At the Multichoice outlet in Akoka, Lagos, the price increase was also enforced. The sales person could not provide answers to questions fielded her.
“They just increased it maybe because of rise in dollar,” she muttered.
TheCable met a subscriber there who was unaware of the court order halting the increase, and he was visibly angry when he discovered.
“Don’t worry, when they see wahala, you know Nigerians. Which dollar, dollar that is coming down. this exploitation should stop,” he said.
“Let Buhari enter first so that then, we will start our protest. I can’t see the service; you put on DSTV, the service will go and come back.
“There is no light. In 24 hours, we have electricity for four hours. What is the service we enjoy that you are increasing?”
TheCable also visited the Multichoice outlet at Ikeja city mall, Lagos, and discovered that the new tariff has also been enforced there.
When contacted, Caroline Oghuma, the manager, public relations of DSTV Nigeria, refused to comment.
“The case is sub judice, so I can’t comment,” she said. “It’s in court. I cannot comment.”
Pressed further on why the enforcement was not withheld until the determination of the suit, she said: “Whatever the situation is, when a case is in court, the people involved cannot comment.”
In March, DSTV announced its intention to increase its tarrif by 20 per cent but was ordered by a federal high court sitting in Lagos to halt implementation of the increase pending determination of a suit filled before it.
If all subscibers were like me, the owners of DSTV would have venture into farming long ago.
Your comment..Disobedience of Court order would amount to contempt and the plaintiffs should not hesitate to site them for contempt accordingly with the attendant implications. I salute the courage of the litigants and implore them to fight on until decency is restored in the DSTV’s tariff rate. we have more population in Africa of people using DSTV but instead of the number to force down price in economic terms, its ever on the rice. This is highest level of exploitation
So is DSTV bigger than NIgerian government, why should they ignore court order and went ahead to force high price to their customers….I blame NTA for this action……..
1. DSTV’s price increase was on April 1. Then on April 2 a court says “Stop price increase”. Does this make sense? Should a court be issuing retroactive instructions?
2. Is DSTV government owned? Does it force anyone to buy its decoders? A privately held concern has the right to offer a service for sale at a price it deems fit. If the public views the price as too high or unreasonable, it shuns the product. That is the way things are done everywhere else in the world.
3. If consumers believe that the tariffs are unfair, why not simply switch to ACTV or Montage TV or better still watch NTA and AIT and Channels?
4. This is one example of a litigation that is fit for the trash can. No court has the power to determine for a private company how much it is to charge for its products and services!
Paulo God bless your insight the more.I just told someone the same thing in a group and all the long knives came for me in the group where I said it.
Paulo and Johnbull? Orna be South Africans abi orna dey follow chop for DSTV money? Orna no know say DSTV na monopoly? Orna no know say government dey regulate monopolies? Make orna take time o!
our leaders drag us to this mud because dstv is monopoly in market.
I dumped my DSTV decoder over almost 2 years ago after realising that my monthly #1500 was being wasted. After paying such money, u still need to fuel your gen. For how long will one continue like that? Nigerians should wake up and stop being wastful. Agents of DSTV have called me twice for me to us my decoder again ofcourse, that will never happen except if they bring down their tariff.
Your comment..It’s really not their fault.
I blame the so-called corrupt politicians
who empowered them after so much
bribe collected from Multichoice if
not,can they do what they do here in
their country? It happens in Nigeria
where anything goes,where citizens are
not protected by the
government,police,etc from foreigners
in wolf clothes. But I bet there’ll be
CHANGE. One for all,all for one
irrespective of religion,language,custom
etc. It’s our country,as S.A are fighting
to defend their country to the point of
spilling the blood of other citizens,in a
moral and lawful way,let’s defend our’s.
Am not a racist and I kick against it but
if the white man exploited us,should a
black continue? ENOUGH!