SIM Cards Re-registration exercise deadline extended but with tough conditions
The Communications and Digitalization Minister, Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has extended the SIM Cards Re-registration exercise deadline but with several conditions attached.
In the much-anticipated media briefing by Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister for communication and Digitalization announced another extension of the deadline for the SIM cards re-registration exercise which should have ended today Sunday, July 31.
Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful noted that she reluctantly granted the request to prolong the deadline following several genuine reasons that have been given by stakeholders including the telecom companies.
She said, “The NIA has not been able to issue all eligible persons with the Ghana Card. As of Thursday, July 21, 2022, 16,969,034 individuals have registered for the Ghana Card, with about 16,535,623 cards printed. 15,702,719 cards have been issued whereas some 832,904 cards have not been distributed or collected.”
With Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) Registrations, she said, “The BWAs commenced registration barely a week ago and have only been able to register just about 2% of their subscribers as of Friday 29th July. Many data-only SIMS have also not been registered and my information is that their owners were not aware they also needed to be registered.
“The security situation in Bawku and its environs made it difficult for the registration of residents and has slowed down the process in that area considerably. I have also been informed that some people who have obtained quick loans from their service providers have decided not to register those SIMs to avoid repaying the loans. That is evil corruption and you will be found out.
“The Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and the National Communication Authority NCA) (and I dare say the NIA too) have all engaged additional staff, procured the necessary logistics and are incurring significant expenses to conduct this exercise successfully. Any extension of the process increases their cost. Upon consultation with the industry and given the challenges enumerated above, I have very reluctantly decided to grant a final conditional extension.
“The programme will be extended to 30th September to end on the anniversary of its commencement. That will give us one full year of SIM registration. It will be reviewed at the end of this month and any SIM that has not been fully registered by the end of August will be barred from receiving certain services including voice and data services.
“It will also be more expensive to use unregistered SIMs. The full range of punitive measures will be announced at another press briefing in September.
“Kindly do not blame your service provider when you suffer that fate due to your inaction. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
“I must end by reminding us all that the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation is not the supervisory ministry for the National Identification Authority, even though we collaborate with them. My hapless self has been roundly vilified in certain quarters particularly this past week for Ghana card challenges for which I am not responsible.
“Prof. Ken Attafuah and his sector Minister, Hon. Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior, is available to answer any Ghana card-related issue, please. I am staying firmly in my lane.”
