6.1 million sim cards deactivated in Ghana

The National Communications Authority, NCA has deactivated 6.1 million SIM cards of mobile phone subscribers who failed to complete the registration process of their cards using the Ghana Card.

The Ghana Card is the only designated national identification card permitted for SIM card registration, according to Ghana Business News.

Mobile phone subscribers were required to register their SIM cards using the national identification card – the Ghana Card, in an exercise started in October 2021.

With the new deadline which has changed more than once, set for May 31, 2023, the Director-General of the NCA, Mr Joe Anokye says there are about 11 million active but unregistered subscribers who will be deactivated after the deadline.

He indicated that so far, more than 25 million SIM cards had been fully registered. 

The NCA says the registration is part of efforts to check fraudulent activities linked to SIM cards in the country.

This is the second time mobile phone users in Ghana are being asked to register their SIM cards. In the first exercise which ended on March 3, 2012, subscribers were required to use one of five legally required valid ID cards – passport, voter ID, driver’s license, national health insurance card or national ID card.

But in this second exercise, subscribers were required to use only the Ghana Card. While the national ID card is the only card required for registration, not everyone has been issued one, even though most have registered for the card.