SIM, Ghana Card registrations: NIA, NCA, Communications Ministry told to be proactive
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, the National Identification Authority (NIA) and the National Communications Authority (NCA) have been told to be proactive in addressing concerns with the SIM cards reregistration which is the duty of the NCA, and also the registration for Ghana Cards, a function of the NIA.
Several concerns have been raised against the Ghana Card exercise including delays in issuing the cards.
The delay is also hindering affected persons from reregistration their SIM cards because they need the Ghana Card, the sole identity document for the exercise, to reregister.
Speaking on the New Day show with Berla Mundi on TV3 Monday September 12, a Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Abdul Kamal Deen said “The Ministry, NIA, NCA, I thought these entities should have been more proactive.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu Ekuful has said that she is being blamed for challenges which were not created by her office.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Sunday 31st July 2022, she said “I must end by reminding us all that the MoCD is not the supervisory ministry for the National Identification Authority, even though we collaborate with them. My hapless self has been roundly vilified in certain quarters particularly this past week for Ghana card challenges which I am not responsible for.
“Prof. Ken Attafuah, (CEO of the NIA) and his sector Minister, Hon. Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior, are available to answer any Ghana card related issue please. I am staying firmly in my lane.”
The NCA and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General have been sued for blocking unregistered SIM cards.
The suit, filed at the Supreme Court by Kwame Asare-Obeng (A-Plus), Convener of the Peoples Project and also a political activist, is seeking a “declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Articles 2, 23 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the Directive by the Minister for Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, on Sunday, July 31, 2022, that the First Defendant will ensure that all SIM cards that are not re-registered by 30 September 2022, will be blocked while the National Identification Authority (NIA) has not been able to issue the Ghana Cards which is the only card to be used for the said re-registration of all Ghanaians is arbitrary, capricious, amounts to an abuse of discretion and same is unconstitutional, null, void and of no legal effect.
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“A declaration on a true and proper interpretation of Articles 2, 23 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the defendants are estopped from blocking the SIM cards of Ghanaians who have not been able to re-register their SIM cards until such a time where the NIA is able to issue the Ghana cards to all Ghanaians.
Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have begun blocking unregistered SIM cards since Monday, September 5.
The NCA on Sunday, September 4 released the punitive actions to be taken against unregistered SIM cards.
The ongoing SIM registration exercise is scheduled to end on 30th September 2022.
Persons who fail to register will suffer consequences.
As part of the punitive measures, the NCA said there would be re-routing of all outgoing calls to IVR for a message to be played before all calls go through every day.
Also, outgoing calls and Data Services for a sequential batch of numbers will be blocked for 48 hours (2 days) once a week on a rotational basis.
“Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) shall divide the Unregistered SIMS into five (5) batches for the purpose of implementing this punitive measure.
“These measures shall exclude blocking of SMS to give defaulting subscribers the opportunity to initiate registration if they so wish.
source:3news
