02 January 2020

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) has pledged to work with the ministry of communications to prevent the recurrence of problems that led the government’s directive to re-register all SIM cards. 

Ken Ashigbey, chief executive officer (CEO) at the GCT, welcomed the directive because it would curtail the use of mobile phones for criminal activities.

He said the industry endorsed it even before it received the regulatory directive from the National Communications Authority (NCA).

The GCT is the umbrella organisation that regulates and promotes the interests of telecommunication businesses in the west African nation.

Ghana’s minister of communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said phone users have until June 2020 to re-register their SIMs or risk losing them.

She added that the valid ID cards to be used for the re-registration would include driving licences, SSNIT cards, passports and the Ghana Card.

Owusu-Ekuful also said a detailed programme would be rolled out by the NCA and that the exercise would be conducted with the telecommunications companies.

Once there is a database to verify those who presented ID cards for SIM card registration, it would be very easy to confirm that the ID card presented was genuine, she added.

It would also deter people from using fake ID cards for registration and subsequently using them to commit different crimes.