After completing the initial phase of the sim-registration process, there is no need to join a queue-concerned citizens.

The National Identification Authority (NIA) will put 275 districts and 16 regional offices around the country into action. From today, November 3, 2021, you can register for a Ghana Card. 

After completing the initial phase of the sim-registration process, there is no need to join a queue-concerned citizens.

After getting through the initial part of the sim-registration process, some concerned residents have said that there is no need to join await. 

According to them, the majority of them do not have time to queue to register their SIM cards because of their jobs 
"Everything is in a queue in Ghana." "Since we used our Ghana Card to complete the registration, that should be all," they emphasized.

"SIM registration, when done correctly, as we intend to do, will reduce or eliminate fraudulent and criminal activities, help authorities determine the exact number of valid and accurate SIMs on the networks, enable operators to build better demographics of their customer base, and help them develop products and services to suit the various groupings," Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful stated. 

"It will reduce mobile money fraud and help underprivileged groups gain access to banking services," Minister stated.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful detailed the SIM registration procedures.

This includes the following items
1. To obtain a new SIM card, all new subscribers must produce their Ghana card. Operators will be required to check the Business Registration paperwork with the Registrar General's Department, as well as the identity of the Shareholder or Director for Limited Liability Companies and Public Institutions, respectively, before registering sims in bulk. 

2. Existing subscribers will be able to register their SIM cards using USSD and a SIM registration app. 

3. All subscribers and businesses will be checked against the National Identification Authority and the Registrar General's Department databases, if necessary.

Indeed, in order to register SIMs, a shareholder or director of the company must directly be linked to the registration of the SIMs, in addition to obtaining confirmation from the Registrar General's Department that the company is genuine. 
4. Individuals can register up to 10 SIM cards across all networks, while foreigners can only register up to 3 SIM cards across all networks. People should not believe that they can hide behind businesses and register as many SIM cards as they wish.

All Business SIM Cards will be linked to a Shareholder or Director of the Business, and if a Business SIM Card is proven to have been used fraudulently, the Shareholder or Director will be held accountable. 
5. The NCA will create mechanisms that will allow subscribers (both individuals and businesses) to check and verify all SIM cards registered in their names at all times. 

6. Foreign visitors to Ghana can buy a SIM card with their passports or travel cards, but they can only use it for 30 days before it expires. Foreigners who want to use a SIM card in Ghana for longer than 30 days will need to get a Non-Citizen Ghana Card.
All Business SIM Cards will be associated with a Shareholder or Director of the Company, and if a Business SIM Card is found to have been used fraudulently, the Shareholder or Director will be held liable. 

5. The NCA will develop mechanisms that enable subscribers (both individuals and businesses) to check and verify all SIM cards registered in their names at any time. 

6. Foreign visitors to Ghana can buy a SIM card with their passports or travel cards, but it is only valid for 30 days. Non-Citizen Ghana Cards are required for foreigners who want to use a SIM card in Ghana for more than 30 days.

9. For the first time in Ghana, a SIM Register will be established, similar to those in Brazil, Germany, and Switzerland, and will serve as a database that will provide comprehensive statistics on the number of subscribers in Ghana as well as a resource for tracking fraudsters and criminals.

 10. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, SIM Registration will begin on October 1, 2021, and will run for six (6) months, ending on March 31, 2022. Any SIM card that has not been registered by the end of the exercise will be blocked. 

11. The NIA is opening Regional and District Offices to allow Ghanaians who have not yet registered for a Ghana Card to do so, and we encourage all Ghanaians and foreigners living in Ghana to do so from the NIA's different offices 
Security and Protection of Data 

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful explained that registration information will be made available to law enforcement agencies upon receipt of a court order to help them prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute fraud and other criminal activities, as well as to assist in emergencies and national security situations such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and public health emergencies. 

The information will be kept in a Central SIM Registry at the National Information Technology Agency, she said, with access to the database restricted. "The Data Protection Act of 2012 will be strictly followed (Act 843). In addition, the Data Protection Commission is a crucial participant in this process "she continued. 

The National Identification Authority (NIA) will put 275 districts and 16 regional offices around the country into action.
From today, November 3, 2021, you can register for a Ghana Card. 

In a statement, the NIA stated that it will educate the public about its activities. 

"This will also allow newly-appointed officials to become acquainted with their respective communities and engage in other preparatory activities," the statement stated. 

For Ghanaians who registered during the mass registration but did not receive their cards, the real issue of cards will take place between November 8 and 16, 2021.

Ahenkorah Odura Mary