The National Security Coordinator Lt. Col (Rtd) Larry Gbevlo-Lartey has dismissed calls for a law to back a directive for the mandatory registration of mobile phone sim cards. Col Gbevlo-Lartey says agitation for such a law is “completely out of the question.” National Security has issued a directive to mobile phone service providers in the country to register their subscribers. Although the idea behind the move has been widely hailed as a good one, the directive has ruffled a few feathers with legal experts, who have questioned its constitutionality. Accra-based legal practitioner and Partner at the Bentsi-Enchil, Letsa and Ankomah Chambers, Ace Anan Ankomah, says the move is illegal, and should not be made to fly. Mr Ankomah told Joy FM’s Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on Tuesday the move smacks of insecurity and amounts to a breach of privacy, as guaranteed under Article 18(2) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. But Lt Col (Rtd) Gbevlo-Lartey said calls for a constitutional backing stem from a “distortion” of the facts. “There have been a lot of distortions…the distortion of all this thing by a reliance on some requirement of the law is completely out of the question and we have to get this very very clear. We are very clear in what we are asking for and we insist on what we are asking for,” the National Security Coordinator told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show in a telephone interview. He said National Security does not require any special law to make such a demand, adding the agency would “insist” on its directive. “We don’t need any law to ascertain or to get what we are asking for…and what we are asking for has nothing to do with privacy,” he stressed. According to Lt Col (Rtd) Gbevlo-Lartey the directive only places a responsibility on mobile service operators to furnish the agency with the identities of callers and ‘texters’ “when it becomes necessary.” The directive and the legal questions come after a false rumour of an impending earthquake triggered fear and panic across the country overnight, prompting many to keep vigil outside. The rumour began on Sunday night with a text message quoting US space agency Nasa and the BBC as saying that "cosmic rays" were to hit the Earth. In an unusual move, radio and television stations started regular day-time programmes in the wee hours of the night, disassociating themselves from the rumours and dispelling fears. It is not known what punitive action there is for mobile phone service operators who default but the law will be the ultimate determiner. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana