An economist and political risk analyst, Theo Acheampong, has described as unproductive the frantic move by Ghanaians to re-register their SIM cards with their Ghana card.
According to him, the frustration which comes with validating and registering sim cards as the July 31, 2022, deadline beckons is a key driver of corruption as people will resort to cut corners. He revealed that a lot must be done to improve institutions in the country to avert time-wasting.
“So much unproductivity within the system. This unproductivity is also a key driver of corruption as people seek to cut corners. We like to unnecessarily complicate things. Simple things like getting a card or accessing other public services can become complicated processes. Why waste the whole day sitting in queues just to get a simple ID card? Our social organisation is very chaotic!”
Theo Acheampong
Contained in a Facebook post, Dr Acheampong commended the likes of “DVLA for improving their service delivery”. He stated that he was able to get his driving licence renewed in under an hour.
“We can and must do more to reduce such bottlenecks for citizens and businesses.”
Theo Acheampong
Stakeholders call for extension to sim reregistration deadline
On July 28, 2022, the minority in Parliament urged President Akufo-Addo to instruct the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, to extend the deadline for the SIM card re-registration exercise. The call comes some few days to the deadline of July 31.
Addressing the press in Parliament, Deputy Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, Sam George, explained that the deadline slated for July 31 “holds potential national security implications for millions of Ghanaians who have not been able to register, due to no fault of theirs”.
Sam George urged that the President and the National Security Minister to take cognizance of the fact that millions of Ghanaians earn a living by use of their SIM cards on a daily basis.
The Ningo-Prampram legislator expressed that the minority has resorted to calling on the President because engagements with the communication minister did not produce the desired outcome. He indicated that although their calls have not been heard, the minority will resist, using all lawful methods at its disposal, any attempt to deprive citizens and constituents the use of their SIM cards from the 1st of August.
Sam George revealed that this has become necessary due to the “malicious, ill-intended, capricious, obnoxious, atrocious and whimsical directive” of the Minister of Communications and Digitalization.
Mr George further assured the telecom companies operating in the country that as a minority, they are concerned about their well-being and operations “for anything that affects their operations affects their workers who are constituents”.
Meanwhile, the Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana has called on government to consider an extension of the deadline for the SIM card re-registration exercise. According to the association, the mobile money business will be negatively affected should government go-ahead to implement the July 31 deadline.
Contained in a statement, the group iterated that as “business people in the industry, it will be very detrimental to our business and the industry in general, should government pursue the 31st July 2022”.
“We appeal that with realism and having considered inconveniences and challenges, the government should extend the deadline to January 2023.”
Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana
