INTRODUCTION
The Subscribers Identity Module (SIM) card registration programme which commenced from 1st October, 2021 to July 31st 2022 has been extended to 30th September, 2022. The initiative was to help law enforcement agencies to identify SIM card owners, track criminals who use SIM card for illegal activities and curb fraudulent activities.
Addressing the media on Sunday, 31st July, 2022 the Minister of Communication and Digitalization; Mrs. Ursla Owusu-Ekuful informed the public that, the extension is due to the delayance in the acquisition of Ghana Cards which is a mandatory document for the SIM card registration. She said that, over 7.5 million citizens and residents as of 31st March were yet to obtain their Ghana card which compelled them to extend it to July, 2022. However, reports from some media outlets indicated that as of Saturday, 30th July, thousands of Ghanaians had either not registered their SIM cards or gotten their Ghana Cards. Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful urged Ghanaians to register their SIM cards before the deadline to avoid their calls and data services from been barred.
In view of the above development, the Information Services Department (ISD) of Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) conducted a public survey to sample opinions of residents within the municipality on the extension of the SIM card registration.
OBSERVATIONS
- Emmanuel Batse from Oyibi said “the extension is good because it will help some Ghanaians who have not yet acquire their Ghana Card to get theirs in other to register their sim”
- Felix Oquaye a resident from Katamanso was of the view that, the extension must be pushed to December because, he did his Ghana card during May and up till date whenever he comes for his card the workers say his card has not yet been printed.
- Madam Abena a retailor at Kpone market said that, “the extension has helped her to register her SIM card because of her busy schedule”
- Esther Akweley a seller at Kpone market voiced out that, the Ghana Card requirement has made her not to register her SIM card because whenever, she goes to the NIA Office to collect her card she is informed her card isn’t ready.
- Mr Owusu, a fridge repairer at Dortia said “it is sad that most Ghanaians have not yet registered their SIM card due to Ghana Card acquisition” According to him, the SIM card extension is good because it will help him to register his SIM card.
- Rose Donkor, a trader from Michel camp lamented that “majority of Ghanaians have been booked for next month and beyond at NIA, so the extension of the SIM registration would not favor them.”
- Madam Grace, a business woman at Kokompe said “she has not yet registered her SIM card as a result of misplacement of her receipt, so the SIM registration extension will afford her ample time to look for the lost receipt and register”
- Susana, from Shanghai said “the extension of SIM card registration is going to help majority of Ghanaians who have not registered to register”
- Albert Tetteh from Gbetsile said he is very happy about the extension of the SIM card registration because a lot of people have not gotten their Ghana card”
- Korkor Amanquah from Apolonia said that the extension of the SIM registration is very good because sometimes the service network is very bad which causes slow registration.
SUGGESTIONS
- Mr Emmanuel suggested that, government should provide more machines at the NIA’s registration centres to avoid another extension since the Ghana card is a required document to register the SIM card.
- Felix Oquaye said, the SIM card registration must be extended to December because majority of Ghanaians are yet to get their Ghana Card.
- Madam Abena suggested that, government should make the registration flexible by creating more centres in various communities to avoid the delay in getting the Ghana card because majority of the populace lives far away from the registration centres.
- Madam Akweley intimated that, the SIM card registration should be extended to next year because of the Ghana Card acquisition.
- Mr Owusu commended the government for extending the SIM card registration dead line.
- Rose Donkor suggested that government should link the SIM card registration to birth certificate.
- Madam Grace suggested that since majority of Ghanaians have not gotten their Ghana card, SIM card registration shouldn’t be mandatory but rather optional.
- Susana suggested that the SIM card registration should be extended to help everybody register to avoid fraudulent cases.
- Albert Tetteh suggested that more SIM card registration centres should be opened.
- Korkor suggested that the network service providers should work on their network to speed up registration
CONCLUSION
In a nut shell, majority of residents interviewed by the ISD team were in support of the extension of the SIM card registration. They also suggested that the government should provide more centres which would help Ghanaians to acquire their Ghana card in other to register their SIM.
Mun. Info. Officer
(Rebecca Osei-Mensah)