The Communications Minister, Samuel Nartey George, has announced a groundbreaking measure to combat mobile money fraud in Ghana. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on April 15, he revealed that the National Communications Authority (NCA) will soon have the power to blacklist fraudsters across all mobile networks, thanks to the upcoming central SIM registration system.
The Minister expressed his frustration with the Electronic Money Issuers (EMIS) and mobile network operators (MNOS) who have repeatedly failed to take action against fraudulent activities despite numerous complaints. He specifically pointed out that even when fraud patterns are clearly evident, these telecom operators have turned a blind eye to the issue. According to Mr. George, reports from the public about fraudulent numbers have been ignored, allowing fraudsters to continue their operations without facing consequences.
In a direct response to these failures, the Minister outlined that under the new SIM registration system, a centralised database would be established, giving the NCA the authority to block fraudulent numbers across all networks. This system will put an end to the common practice of fraudsters switching networks to evade detection. Now, once a fraudulent number is flagged, it will be blocked on all networks, making it impossible for scammers to continue their operations by simply changing providers.
Furthermore, the Minister made it clear that telecom operators who fail to act on flagged numbers will face severe penalties. If a telecom company does not take immediate action after being informed of a fraudulent number, it will be subjected to daily fines. This tough stance signals the government’s commitment to addressing the increasing mobile money fraud despite previous educational efforts and regulations such as the SIM registration mandate.
The centralised system is expected to be implemented in the coming months, with a strong focus on ensuring data integrity, real-time reporting, and verification through the National Identification Authority (NIA) linked identities. The new framework is part of a broader initiative to strengthen the fight against mobile money fraud, offering a more effective and coordinated response. With these measures, the government hopes to restore trust in mobile money transactions and create a safer environment for Ghanaians to engage in digital financial services.
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