Ursula Owusu-Ekuful: Communications Minister Hints At Measures To Deal With SIM Card Defaulters Very Soon

• The Minister of Communications has hinted at measures to deal with SIM card defaulters
• Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says even though some of the defaulters have genuine reasons, others are deliberately refusing to do so
• She added that sanctions would be meted out to those who have refused to partake in the re-registration of their SIMs

The communications and digitalization ministry has announced that measures will be applied to those who have deliberately refused to re-register their SIM cards.

According to the Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, possible sanctions will be meted out to those who deliberately refused to participate in the SIM card re-registration.

Speaking to the media on the back of the October deadline granted by the ministry to get all SIM cards in the country registered, Ursula called on Ghanaians to embrace initiatives introduced by the government to protect the country’s digital space.

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“There are some who have genuine concerns, and we are working with the NIA to [address them]. But there are others who have the Ghana cards but have not completed the process. So clearly, either they do not intend to, or are unwilling to, so we will have some measures to announce in due course soon,” she said.

SIM Card Re-Registration: We're In Talks With NIA To Address Those With Genuine Concerns - Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

She also assured that her ministry is in talks with the National Identification Authority (NIA) to address the genuine concerns of those unable to register their SIMs.

On two different occasions, the government granted the extension of the SIM card registration exercise after long queues were recorded at some of the registration centres.

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Yet people still refused, prompting the ministry and the regulator, the national communications authority, to announce a series of punitive measures.

SIM Card Re-Registration: Defaulters Risk Losing Their Numbers

Defaulters of the exercise risk the deactivation of their SIM cards with a possibility of the numbers being re-assigned if they do not re-register the cards within six months after the deactivation.

Last month, the government announced that 28 million SIM cards had been linked to Ghana cards, representing 67.28% of the 42,749,662 total SIM cards issued nationally.

SIM Re-Registration: Akufo-Addo Has Been Warned By National Security Not To Block Numbers – Minority

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Minority caucus had called on President Akufo-Addo to listen to wise counsel from his security capos and halt any attempt to block SIM cards in the country.

According to the opposition MPs, information available to them indicates that such an action will plunge the country into a terrible security situation.

Source: YEN.com.gh