SIM Registration : What Went Wrong?

SIM registration again but this time, they say it's to finally get it right. Ghanaians are watching closely.

Just imagine yourself as a student who has successfully reached a higher level after burning the midnight oil, completing all assignments and group work with all the required criteria. Then, all of a sudden, you receive a letter saying you must go back to your previous level because your lecturer left out a very important topic during your stay at that level. While this may seem reasonable to some, others might simply want to move on, considering they have to start from scratch again. Those willing to go back might argue that they need a full understanding of the subject for their future success. Consider this story very relevant in the status quo.

The Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, recently announced his intention to conduct a new SIM registration exercise. Why another registration? According to the minister, the SIM registration that took place in 2021 during the Akuffo-Addo administration under Ursula Owusu's leadership had issues such as verification failures, inconsistencies in biodata, and other problems that contributed to mobile money fraud and cybercrimes.

He also stated that this is not a re-registration but a new registration that will not continue where the previous exercise left off in 2021. Here are some concerns raised by Ghanaians: Will this actually stop fraudulent activities? Will it be stressful? Or can we do it at home? Are we not wasting money and resources that could be better used supporting other sectors? Is this really the last registration? Sam George mentioned that this system will be stricter, with improvements in biometric verification, stronger identity checks, and the elimination of fake SIM ownership. To reduce stress, the minister assured Ghanaians that remote systems would be used to make the process more convenient, implying there could be a code to dial or a link for registration. Regarding costs, he clarified that it is a shared expense between telecom operators and the government. This will be the last exercise, as it aims to correct previous mistakes, according to the minister. The main goal is to link the national SIM database to each verified individual’s SIM.

Recently, John Dramani Mahama suggested a new reason for the inefficiency of the 2021 SIM registration. He claimed the failure was because the former minister, Ursula Owusu, was not on good terms with the Director General of the National Identification Authority. He mentioned this during his resetting Ghana tour. If we accept this without hearing from both parties involved,the former minister and the NIA director—it raises questions about what might be happening in other sectors that slow progress. This is very concerning because such issues could become widespread. Serving in a position of public trust is a decision made solely by an individual and should follow the principles of public service ethos. Public officers are duty-bound to act in the public’s best interest, prioritizing the common good above personal feelings, benefits, or benefits. Even if the former minister and the NIA director were not on speaking terms, they still had a constitutional and ethical duty to ensure the SIM registration exercise was carried out efficiently.

The reasons supporting the new SIM registration exercise have been outlined. Citizens continue to question the entire process, but let us heed the statement made by the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Honorable Sam Nartey George: “this will be the final one we will do, because we will do this right.” We shall see.