Extend Mobile SIM Card Registration Deadline To The End Of 2022
Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater 
A leading research and public policy think tank, CUTS International, Accra is urging the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to extend the mobile SIM Card registration deadline to the end of the year as the majority of Ghanaians have logistical challenges in obtaining NIA card and using the same to register their sim.
Speaking to a cross section of press in Accra on Monday, the West African Regional Director for CUTS International, Mr Appiah Kusi Adomako said “whilst we understand the rationale behind the mandatory SIM card registration and the implication of unregistered SIM cards on crime prevention and detection as well on government domestic revenue mobilisation measures, extending the deadline to the end of the year would ensure that those who have not registered would be able to do so.
Again, we are also not unmindful that not everyone would get registered should it be extended to the end of the year but those who would take advantage of the extension to register would outnumber those who would not register.”
“As a consumer protection organization, we have received numerous concerns from consumers about the difficulty they go through in acquiring the Ghana Card to enable them to register their sim cards.
Some registered during the mass registration exercise in 2019 but haven’t received their cards up to date. A release from the NIA indicated that about 800,000 Ghanaians are yet to receive or pick up their printed cards as of 21st July, 2022. Others have misplaced their cards, whilst others have errors on the spelling of their names, first-time registrants among others,” he added.
Mr Adomako said, “some people have had to abandon their work, wake up at dawn to join long queue at the NIA registration offices but are unsuccessful, extending the deadline will give them ample time to get the Ghana cards and register their sim cards”.
He revealed that Telcos risk losing huge volume of revenue from their customers should the deadline not be extended. Some have taken microloans from mobile operators and disabling their sim card would create a substantial loss to the industry players.
Government on the other hand also risk losing huge amount of revenue from electronic transactions (e-levy) from customers should the deadline stay as it is” he opined.
