Ursula encourages citizens to complete SIM cards re-registration process

The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has asked Ghanaians who haven’t completed their SIM cards re-registration process to be patriotic citizens to see to the completion of the process.

According to the Minister in a statement issued on Monday, October 17, 2022, there are almost 10 million people who have already done Stage 1 of the registration by linking their cards to the Ghana Card, but are yet to go through Stage 2 to complete the process.

This she describes as a worry to the whole process of seeking for one database to protect the country against fraud, promote collective security and advance the country’s transformational digital agenda for international recognition.

To avoid any blockage against such persons who have refused to complete the full process of the exercise, the Ministry has given to the end of October adding that, it is not extending the September 30, 2022 deadline.

“All SIM Cards that have been linked to Ghana Cards (i.e. completed Stage 1 registration), but have not completed their Stage 2 registration will be blocked from the end of October. This is not an extension of the deadline but a temporary moratorium to encourage these individuals to complete the process.

“If they have any peculiar challenges, they should contact the NCA. These good people have the Ghana card, have started the process and will be encouraged to complete it with this gentle reminder. All other unregistered SIMs will also be blocked progressively. The NCA is in discussions with the NIA on registered amputees and other categories of persons and will make an announcement shortly on arrangements made to accommodate them. The provision made earlier for SIMs active outside Ghana and diplomats still stand” part of the statement reads.

While the ministry acknowledged that some of the citizens have had difficulties obtaining Ghana Cards to enable them to undertake their registration, it further added that, about 1.3 million Ghanaians have also been issued their Ghana cards but have not collected them.

“This is regrettable, and we will continue to engage the National Identification Authority to expedite the process,” it added.

Offense

For persons who have registered more than ten (10) SIM cards for personal use in contravention of the SIM card registration directive of 10 SIMs per person, the culprits, as a matter of urgency, have been asked to delink the unwanted SIM Cards immediately for it is an offense and punishable by law.

The statement added that, excess SIM cards over the individual limit of 10 SIMs per person will be removed from the database and blocked adding that, it is only institutions that can register more than 10 SIM cards under the registration directive.

“Let me remind all SIM card vendors that it is an offense to pre-register and sell SIM cards”.

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has further been directed to conduct mystery shopping and enforce the law against those miscreants.

“If found guilty, they [vendors] could be imprisoned for up to 5 years,” Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful added in the statement.

No burden

The statement further explained that, Government has no intention of just inconveniencing or overburdening citizens, or depriving them of the use of their SIM Card enabled devices adding that, the exercise is of important because it’ll protect “us all against fraud, promote our collective security and advance our transformational digital agenda.”

On the fate of data-only SIMs, including those issued by Surfline, Busy Internet, Telesol, and any institution such as ECG, the users have been given up to the end of November to complete registration.

Commendation

Speaking on the progress of the entire registration, she said despite certain factors that has affected the ongoing SIM card re-registration with the use of Ghana card as the only requirement, it has also seen high number of success.

She said a total of 18.9 million (18,930,664) SIM cards have been fully registered as of October 4, 2022 in accordance with the SIM Registration directives and the process, which commenced on October 1, 2021.

This 18.9 million figure she indicated represents 44.28 per cent of the 42,749,662 total SIM cards issued by the mobile network operators (MNO) as of October 4, 2022 adding that, such persons have fully completed both Stages 1 and 2 – that is linking the SIM to a Ghana Card and verifying it with the users’ biometrics.

“I commend the millions of Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians resident in Ghana who have diligently registered their SIM Cards in accordance with the SIM Registration directives since the process commenced on 1st October 2021.  The good news is that despite the challenges that this exercise has encountered, including challenges with the acquisition of Ghana Cards, we have chalked significant successes we should be proud of. Between 1st October 2021 and 4th October 2022;

• 28,959,006 SIM Cards have been linked to Ghana Cards (Stage 1 registration); representing 67.28% of the 42,749,662 total SIM cardsissued nationally.
• 18,930,664 SIM Cards have been fully registered (Completed both Stages 1 and 2) – representing 44.28% of the total SIM cards issued. This equates to 69.64% of all Stage 1 registrations.
• 13,720,687 unique Counts of Ghana Cards have been used so far for the registration exercise while we have not yet achieved our target, by every measurable yardstick and against the challenges that we have as a developing economy, this is quite an achievement. 14 million Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians can sleep safely, comforted by the fact that their 18.8 million SIM Cards are safe and secure. We have made good progress, and this is a collective gain that we must celebrate” the statement detailed.