Re-register your SIM card by June 2020 or risk deactivation – Ursula warns
The communication ministry has announced that all mobile phone users are to re-register their SIM cards by end of June 2020 or lose their numbers.
The process according to the ministry will commence in January, 2020 and end in June.
The move according the sector minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is to reduce mobile phone related crimes such as mobile money fraud, cyber-crime and impersonation. It is also to enable security agencies to track and identify persons who use their mobile phones for criminal activities.
Addressing the media here in Accra on Monday, the minister said;
“I dare say if we had an effective SIM registration system, it would’ve been quicker to catch those who kidnapped and eventually murdered the Takoradi girls… though some IDs submitted for the registration of SIMs may have been valid, due to the poorly implemented manual verification process, millions of SIMs have been rendered invalid due to non-verification of these IDs with the databases of card issuing agencies”.
“The National Communication Authority ( NCA ) has been directed to establish an efficient solution to link all existing databases and ensure strict compliance on the law on the acquisition and registration of SIM cards in Ghana. This will restore confidence and trust in the entire ICT ecosystem… The ministry has consulted all relevant stakeholders and hereby announces that from 1st January, 2020 we will all be required to re-register or SIM cards. Any SIM card which is not re-registered will be deactivated by June 2020, she explained.
The minister also urged all citizens as well as visitors in the country to comply with the directive to ensure a successful implementation of the policy.