SIM Registration Exercise: Withdraw Draconian Punitive Measures And Cease Being Rubber Stamp – Minority To NCA

• The Minority in Parliament wants the NCA to immediately withdraw the draconian and punitive measures on the SIM re-registration exercise
• According to the Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu, Abed-Nego Azumah Bandim, the NCA should cease being a rubber stamp regulator and identify ways of addressing the genuine concerns of customers
• He also wants authorities to allow the usage of passports or voter's ID cards to register sim cards

The Minority in Parliament has described as draconian and punitive measures put in place by the National Communications Authority (NCA) on the sim card re-registration exercise.

The NCA, ahead of the September deadline for the exercise, rolled out a couple of measures, including blocking outgoing calls and data services for unregistered numbers for two days every week.

That decision has been met with huge uproar among a section of the populace who lament the difficulties associated with laying hands on the Ghana cards needed for the exercise.

Read also

Akufo-Addo’s lawyer Akoto Ampaw, Samson Ayenini, and Kofi Bentil protest against corruption among government officials

Adding his voice to the concerns expressed, the Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu said the NCA's inability to assert its authority in the industry has contributed to the mess associated with the exercise.

Sim Registration Exercise: Include Passport and Voter's ID as Means of Identification - Bunkpurugu MP

In a statement, the MP, who also doubles as a member of Parliament's Communications Committee, called on the NCA to wean itself off political control if it wants to become a world-class regulator.

"......the NCA is well aware that millions of Ghanaians despite frantic efforts have not had their Ghana cards due to the inability of the National Identification Authority (NIA) to issue same. Yet the NCA went ahead to issue punitive measures at the instance of the sector minister, who is hell-bent on satisfying her ego rather than serving Ghanaians. Isn't the NCA supposed to prioritize the interest of Ghanaians over that of the minister?"

Read also

Ghana's current economic challenges not locally generated but from external shocks – IMF boss

The MP also called on the NCA to include the passport and voter's ID as means of identification to enable those without their Ghana cards yet to register their SIM Cards.

"Those who use the passport or voter's ID will then be mandated to update their records upon acquiring the card," the Bunkpurugu MP added.

SIM Card Registration Deadline Will Not Be Extended Again, Says Communications Minister

Earlier, YEN.com.gh published that Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful had announced that there will not be another extension of the deadline for the SIM card registration.

Source: YEN.com.gh