Government has ordered the mobile network firms to start the exercise of registering Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards afresh, after alleged fraudulent activities around the scheme.

The order, which government said the use of fake identity cards prompted, comes three years after the completion of the exercise.

The Minister of Communications, Dr Edward Boamah who disclosed the order, explained the re-registration must be done only if the National Identification Authority completed the issuance of the National ID Cards.

He told the six telecom operators namely, MTN, Vodafone, TiGo, Airtel, Glo Mobile and Expresso, that they must “candidly” re-run the SIM card registration exercise to help enhance security in the country.

“We definitely need to provide confidence and security in the use of electronic communications in Ghana.

“You would recall the police report of 2 340000 prank calls made to the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service in 2013. This is surely not the right use of the opportunities we are blessed with,” he said.

Parliament in 2012 adopted the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 2006) to give backing to SIM card registration in the country.

The Legislation provides that from 2012, no SIM card could be used if not duly registered.

Consequently, no mobile network operator would be able to activate a SIM card for a new customer without it having been registered.

In addition, existing subscribers who had either not registered their SIM cards or whose earlier registrations were invalid are required to re-register, failing which their SIM cards will be de-activated.

The National Communications Authority (NCA) issued the order. As of the end of 2013, Ghana had a total 28, million subscribers.