Why Ghana authorities block over eight million SIM cards

SIM card

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Ghanaian officials say over 8 million unregistered SIM cards chop block after dem fail to meet registration deadline.

Ministry of Communication direct de general public to register dia SIM cards as part of de broad digitization agenda of goment den plans to improve digital security.

De SIM card users wey chop blocking no go fit make calls, use de internet, access mobile money services den stuff.

SIM card users wey dem block start dey gather for various registration centres so say dem go fit register dem recover dia SIM cards.

Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu Ekuful reveal say “de people who link dia SIM card to dia Ghana card in de first phase of de registration exercise, but no go no conclude de registration exercise by doing dia biometric capture phase, be de ones who SIM cards chop block.”

She explain say dis be important sake of “fraudsters and criminals dey use de anonymity of de internet and social media to defraud other people wey govment wan make sure say dem no fit hide again.”

What go happen next?

Dis be what go happen to people wey still no register dia SIM cards for Ghana.

  • SIM Cards no go fit access all services like phone call, SMS, data and more sake of SIM Cards go be deactivated. 
  • Subscribers go have period of six months to register dia SIM Cards to re-active dia SIM but if dem fail to do dis dem go lose dia numbers.
  • Those wey fail to register dia SIM Cards within six months go lose dia number completely which dem go reassign to de pool of SIMs which Telcos go sell to potential new subscribers.

Why govment dey embark on SIM Registration exercise

Govment of Ghana announce mandatory SIM card re-registration exercise last year as part of dia measures to ensure digital safety den tins.

Dem announce say make people register dia SIM cards from 1st October, 2021 to 31st March, 2022.After dis deadline, dem give new grace period to July 31 and then later to de current September 30 deadline.

By de end of July, about 25 million voice SIMs complete stage one of de registration process, representing 60 per cent of the total registration.

De September 30 deadline dey target 26 million subscribers with unregistered SIM cards to register dia SIM cards or face de consequences.