The re-registration of SIM cards kicks off today Friday, October 1 with the National Identification Card, popularly known as the “Ghana Card.”
The exercise which was supposed to take off in June this year was delayed due to the just-ended Population and Housing Census.
The re-registration is in line with the government’s effort to make the Ghana Card a one-stop identification document in the country.
The re-registration of SIM cards is expected to last for six months that is from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
Any SIM not registered within this period will be permanently blocked, the Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu Ekuful has said.
Each user is allowed to register 10 different numbers with his/her Ghana Card.
The user will be notified via text message with a unique code upon successful registration.
Users who encounter problems while linking their Ghana card with their SIMs will be given three chances to answer security questions after which they will be directed to the National Identification Authority (NIA) if the problem persists.
In a bid to rid the country’s cyberspace of fraud, monitor and track down persons who use their phones for criminal activities, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia recently disclosed that plans are underway to ensure that all Ghanaians with SIM cards re-register them using the National Identification card also known as Ghana card.
Speaking at the 5th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra, the Vice President noted that any individual who fails to take part in the exercise risks losing his or her SIM card.
“We all have to do that otherwise we’ll lose that SIM card. That will really give us a real identity for all MoMo transactions. For example, it takes away fraud that is taking place like SIM box and through MoMo”, he added.
The move has been criticized by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu who argued that undertaking a SIM re-registration exercise will not solve the issue of Mobile Money fraud as expected by Dr. Bawumia.
“The solution to the challenges of fraud within the electronic money ecosystem goes beyond SIM registration,” he said.
“We hold the view that the mandatory re-registration of SIMs provides no substantial benefit in the fight against electronic money fraud, and will face practical challenges such as inbound travelers who require a SIM card without a national ID,” he added.
*How to register your SIM with the Ghana Card.*
*Follow the process below:*
Dial the short code *404#
Enter Ghana Card Pin ( Note: Enter letters and figures without hyphens)
Confirm Ghana Card Pin
Enter Surname
Enter First Name(s)
Enter Date of Birth (Format: DDMMYYYY)
Select Sex
Confirm Details
Submit Details Provided After
Confirmation
Visit your service provider with the unique code to complete the registration process
BY Daniel Bampoe