Dr. Poku Adusei, Director of Legal Services at the National Communications Authority (NCA) has apologized to Ghanaians for asking them to resort to the use of gong gongs and talking drums if they will not re-register their SIM cards.
According to him upon hindsight he has realized that his response to the call by a group of notable Ghanaians that the ongoing exercise be halted, was harsh.
“I have observed the concerns being expressed by people on my Facebook post yesterday. In my earlier post, I had sought to highlight the importance of the SIM registration exercise and the fact that same is backed by law. However, my subsequent post seems to have given a certain mis-impression. If my post offended anyone, I apologise.
“I must state that I did not any way intend to slight well-meaning Ghanaians, who were communicating their challenges with SIM registration exercise. I have subsequently, and in recognition of the views and sensibilities of others, deleted the post.
“I am aware of the tireless efforts being made by the NCA, the telcos, and the technical partners to redress any challenges associated with the SIM registration exercise. Evidently, the technical efforts to redress these challenges and to ensure a seamless SIM registration exercise are yielding fruits,” Dr. Poku Adusei wrote on his Facebook page on Friday, January 15.
On Thursday, January 13, a group of Ghanaians calling itself Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers called on Ghanaians not to make or receive calls on February 8, 2022, as a form of protest against the “current inhumane process of re-registration of SIM cards”.
It also argued that there was no law backing the NCA’s decision to have all SIM cards re-registered.
“We, the undersigned Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers, having consulted Ghanaians across the country, have set aside Tuesday 8th February 2022 as a “No Calls Day.” On that day, we call on all Ghanaians not to make or receive phone calls as a way of registering our disquiet about the circus surrounding the SIM card re-registration exercise.
“The No Calls Day boycott on 8th February would be the first in a series of national boycotts to protest against the current inhumane process of reregistration of SIM cards. There is no law in Ghana that requires Ghanaian mobile network subscribers to “Re-register” their SIM cards. Any attempt to impose this on subscribers or block their lines would amount to an infringement of their property rights,” the group said in a statement.
But in his response, Dr. Poku Adusei called the bluff of the group and made comments that were offensive to the members and some Ghanaians.
“When people speak as if they know all the laws of Ghana, I shudder! Claims that there is no law that requires SIM cards to be registered or reregistered is bogus, to say the least. What law was their original SIMs registered under? Or they bought pre-registered SIMs? Even pre-registered SIMs are registered in someone’s name. Re-re..means there existed a law for the initial re-. Too many luminaries and ‘agendapreneurs’ in this land. Concerned whoever should go and read L.I. 2006, L.I. 2111 and E.I. 63 and come again!!!
“We pray they resort to the use of fax, telegram, gong-gong, and talking drum henceforth. A privilege to subscribe to SIMs on your own becomes an absolute property right for which no checks could be imposed? Asinine,” he wrote on Facebook.