SIM Cards Re-Registration Exercise Has Achieved Great Milestone – Ursula

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The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has 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 a 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 SIM to a Ghana Card and verifying it with the users’ biometrics.

She made this known in a statement issued on Monday (October 17, 2022).

“I commend the millions of Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians resident in Ghana who has 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 cards issued nationally.

18,930,664 SIM Cards have been fully registered (Completed in 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.

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 importance because it’ll protect “us all against fraud, promote our collective security and advance our transformational digital agenda.”

Those who have linked their SIM cards to Ghana cards, that is completed Stage 1 of the registration process but have not completed Stage 2 of the process have a grace period till the end of October to enable such persons complete the process.

The total figures are 28,959,006, involving almost 10 million users; representing 67.28% of the 42,749,662 total SIM cards issued nationally.

“It is however disconcerting that almost 10 million people who have linked their SIM Cards to their Ghana Cards (i.e. completed Stage 1 registration) have not completed their Stage 2 registration. There is no excuse for this since these individuals have their Ghana Cards, have started the process and had ample opportunity to fully register their SIM Cards, including through the use of the self-registration app which is the first of its kind in the world. There may be some who are opposed to the SIM Card registration exercise for ideological, philosophical, or political reasons. Let me just remind them that they may be exercising their right to opt-out of this exercise but all actions have consequences”.

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.

By: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana