Telecommunication firms in Ghana have taken action to deactivate approximately 9 million unregistered SIM cards, following a directive from the National Communications Authority (NCA).
The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, initially announced the re-registration process for all mobile SIM cards on October 1, 2021.
Originally intended to span six months, the re-registration exercise faced various challenges encountered by SIM card users, resulting in multiple deadline extensions.
However, the final deadline for re-registration concluded on May 31.
Dr. Ken Ashigbey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, explained that although users can still re-register their SIM cards, certain functions like phone calls will be inaccessible during the process.
Approximately 9 million users who have not completed the full registration of their SIM cards will experience a blockage of services, including making and receiving calls, sending text messages, and utilizing data services.
Additionally, around 7.4 million subscribers who have not registered their SIM cards for mobile money services will lose access to their accounts. Dr. Ashigbey assured users that the network operators will safeguard the funds available on these SIM cards.
If these subscribers register their SIM cards, they will regain access to their mobile money accounts, including their stored funds and historical transaction records, thereby ensuring the security of their monetary assets.
