Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Information and Communications, Abed-Nego Bandim, has expressed the Committee’s satisfaction with the justification for a new SIM re-registration exercise.
This followed a detailed briefing by the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George on Thursday.
Speaking to the media after a closed-door meeting, Bandim said the committee invited the Minister to explain the rationale behind what would be Ghana’s third nationwide SIM re-registration exercise.
According to the Chairman, the decision follows concerns raised after the Minister’s recent press briefing on the planned exercise later this year.
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“There was the need for him to give us a proper briefing on why we need to do a third SIM card registration after we have had two already in the past,” Bandim explained.
He recalled that the first registration was conducted around 2010–2011 under then Communications Minister Haruna Iddrisu, while the second exercise took place in 2021.
A key revelation from the Minister’s presentation, according to the committee, is that the current SIM database is deeply flawed.
“Out of the 100%, over 60% of the data is inadequate and therefore not fit for purpose and cannot protect the ordinary Ghanaian citizen,” Hon. Bandim stated.
He added that an audit ordered by the Ministry uncovered widespread irregularities, including fraudulent registrations using cloned Ghana Cards.
“People used cloned identification cards to register SIM cards… when those numbers are used to commit crime, it is traced to innocent persons,” he said.
The committee linked the weak database to increasing cases of mobile money fraud across the country.
Mr. Bandim stressed that the inability to properly verify SIM ownership has created loopholes for criminal activity.
“We cannot afford to have that kind of database… that is why we still have a high rate of mobile money fraud in the system,” he noted.
The Minister assured the committee that the upcoming exercise will come at no cost to Ghanaians.“It is going to be free… mobile network operators will bear the cost,” Bandim disclosed.
He added that MPs sought clarification on whether telecom operators might pass costs on to subscribers, but were assured this would not happen.
Unlike previous exercises that involved third-party vendors, the new registration will be led solely by the National Communications Authority (NCA).
“The NCA will spearhead the process and hold the database, and there will be no third parties involved,” Bandim said.
The move is expected to enhance data security and public confidence in the system.
The committee was also informed that registration will be more accessible this time: Mobile teams will reach remote communities, Community Information Centres (CICs) will serve as registration points, and support will be provided for users of basic (non-smart) phones
Additionally, institutions such as the Information Services Department and the National Commission for Civic Education will be engaged to intensify public awareness.
Bandim revealed that a Legislative Instrument (LI) will be laid before Parliament to define the modalities of the exercise before it begins.
The Chairman noted that the first exercise allowed multiple forms of identification due to limited national ID coverage, while the second faced challenges over the exclusive use of the Ghana Card.
He argued that inadequate verification in the last exercise contributed significantly to current database weaknesses.
The Committee expressed confidence that the proposed SIM re-registration, backed by stronger verification systems and broader stakeholder collaboration, will address past shortcomings and enhance national security.