Deputy Director for Consumer and Corporate Affairs at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Kwame Gyan, has disclosed that over 10,000 network subscribers have re-registered their SIM Cards via the self-service app.

According to him, the number of Ghanaians who have so far registered on the app is encouraging. He revealed that some persons who have also been double charged for the registration of their SIM cards on the self-app will receive refund of monies.

“Prior to Sunday, we had just about 5,500 people registering with the app. Before midday Monday, we had an additional 1,020 people register. As I speak, we have 10,000 people who have registered via the app.”

Mr Gyan indicated that currently, there have been about 50,000 downloads of the app so far. He highlighted that there are some people who are equally having challenges trying to register via the app and are unable to because of a mismatch between their Ghana cards and phone numbers. With this, he expressed the readiness of the Authority to help them have seamless registration.

“We urge people to crosscheck the numbers when registering so we don’t have such difficulties.”

The Authority rolled out the SIM Card Re-Registration Self-Service app on the Google Play Store to provide an alternative for telecom subscribers to complete their SIM card re-registration at a GH¢5 charge.

Currently, there has been a surge in SIM card re-registration following the implementation of punitive measures meant to force unregistered subscribers to comply with the directive to re-register all SIM cards by September 30.

Stakeholders against punitive actions

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MMAAG), Evans Otumfuo, has revealed that the association is against the punitive measures. He noted that the move would impact many of its members and customers who, through no fault of theirs, did not have access to the Ghana cards.

He expressed the need for government to reconsider extending the deadline for the registration of SIM cards in the interest of the gains made in the communications industry.

“The association has since endorsed this policy to re-register SIMs due to its positive impact on our businesses by helping to curb fraud. As business people in the industry, it will be very detrimental to our businesses and the industry in general should the deadline be pursued, since many Ghanaians, running into millions, are yet to be registered and be issued with the Ghana cards.”
Evans Otumfuo

Elsewhere, Member of the Communications Committee of Parliament, Sam Nartey George, has criticised the National Communications Authority and the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation for setting an unrealistic deadline for the SIM card re-registration exercise.

According to him, the NIA was not created to issue Ghana cards within a said time, but to issue Ghana cards on an ongoing basis. He indicated that the NCA, MoCD and NIA should have been involved in broad stakeholder consultations.

“The NCA and Ministry of Communication should have applied common sense. They should have spoken to the technical people in the industry before issuing the deadline… If the NCA and the Ministry of Communications were minded and had spoken to technical people and industry players at the commencement or even before the commencement of this process, they would have realized that restricting yourself to the Ghana cards alone was going to create this kind of problem.”
Sam Nartey George