The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has disclosed that it has uncovered a syndicate engaged in the sale of already registered SIM cards at outrageous prices.

According to the Executive Director of the Agency, Kofi Kapito, the SIM cards have been pre-registered with the details of other persons and are being sold on the open market.

Kofi Kapito said the Agency managed to purchase 15 of such SIM Cards from the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (Circle) area. Others, he revealed, are stationed at the Kotoka International Airport and selling the pre-registered SIM cards to persons arriving in the country.

“The CPA heard that some SIM cards are being sold on the market already registered and we felt it was not possible, but upon our investigations, we managed to secure some of these SIM cards and believe me, if you put it in your phone, it will work just like that.

“The funny thing is that, how is it possible that it comes with the names of the owners of the SIM cards…if you arrive at Kotoka Airport some people are there selling to you pre-registered SIM cards,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

The CPA thus called on the Communications Minister to urgently address the situation as it has implications for national security.

“This is an opportunity for we all as Ghanaians especially the Minister for Communications who we are grateful to, for not cutting off the SIM cards as of the 1^st of this month but we would like her to also go extra mile to get the security agencies involved…this is borderline fraud, if there is any fraud this is the highest…it is pure national security issue,” he added.

Meanwhile, a Consumer advocacy firm, CUTS International, has urged the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization to shut the door on Ghanaians who have acquired their Ghana card, but are yet to re-register their mobile SIM cards.

It however wants those who are yet to receive their Ghana card to be given some time so they could register their SIM cards going forward.

Speaking to Joy Business, its Country Director, Kusi Appiah Adomako, said, any agency that intends to use Ghana card for registration purposes must work with the National Identification Authority (NIA) to achieve the intended purpose.

“I think the Ministry of Communications did very well by heeding to the call from Ghanaians in extending the deadline to the end of this month [September 2022]. The data shows that lots of Ghanaians have taken advantage of the alternative registration platform which was created. If by now, someone has not registered, I think the person is not either having his or her Ghana card or the person doesn’t want to register”.

“So people who have still not received their Ghana cards, I think those people should be given special dispensation needs to re-register their SIM cards. But if you have your Ghana card and have not registered then that person is not ready to register. And for that reason, those people do not really need an extension. That is what I will say”.