Dr. Wereko-Brobby on SIM registration: Extending the deadline won’t fix the problem

Dr. Wereko-Brobby on SIM registration: Extending the deadline won’t fix the problem; NCA and NIA must collaborate

Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, chief policy analyst at the Ghana Institute for Public Policy Options (GIPPO), is not pleased with the prolongation of the deadline for registering all SIM Cards in the nation.

Following the complaints of thousands of Ghanaians about the registration bottlenecks, the Minister in charge of Communications and Digitalization, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, announced an extension of the deadline day on Sunday, July 31.

“In order to carry out this exercise successfully, the Mobile Network Operators MNOs, the National Communications Authority (NCA), and—dare I say it—the National Identification Authority, have all hired additional people, acquired the required supplies, and are incurring enormous costs. Any process expansion raises the price of the process. In light of the difficulties listed above and after consulting with the industry, I have very reluctantly agreed to grant a final conditional extension.

“The program will continue through September 30 in order to terminate on the anniversary of its start. We’ll have a full year of SIM registration after that. Any SIM that has not been fully registered by the end of August would be prohibited from obtaining certain services, including phone and data services, the Minister informed the media at a press conference. It will be reassessed at the end of this month.

The extension of the deadline, according to Dr. Wereko-Brobby, is not the solution to the exercise’s numerous difficulties in an interview with Joy News on Monday, August 1.

He claims that the National Communication Authority (NCA) and the National Identification Authority’s (NIA) lack of cooperation is the primary issue that needs to be solved (NIA).

“Two state agencies aren’t communicating with one another, which is one of the unfortunate things that is happening.

What stands in the way of the NCA carrying out what the bankers, SSNIT, and other organizations are attempting to do?

“There might be a plan where the NIA provides the NCA with information on a regular basis if the NCA and NIA were on the same page.

We are not contemplating. No matter how long we prolong the deadline, nothing will change, according to Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby.

According to the most recent statement made by the Minister of Digitalization and Communication, Ghanaians risk losing access to important features if they are unable to register their SIM cards with the Ghana Card.