Consumer advocacy firm, CUTS International, is urging 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.

The SIM card re-registration ends today September 30, 2022.

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 legitimately that people have still not received their Ghana card, 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”.

Mr. Adomako suggested to the Communications Minister to institute some limitations on the number of calls and data consumption by those who are yet to re-register their SIM cards, but is no fault of theirs to continue using the SIM cards beyond the deadline.

"Maybe, we can place some limitations in terms of the number of minutes or calls on your phone or the number of data you can browse a day on your un-registered SIM"

"Maybe, the Minister can deploy that kind of limitation, whilst working with the NIA to ensure that all the backlog of SIM cards that have been created are given to their respective owners and at that point, we know that majority of the people have received their Ghana cards. So if you have not registered, you are not unwilling to resister”, he added.