The National Identification Authority (NIA) and the National Communication Authority (NCA) are reportedly getting into conflict, which is to blame for the problems citizens are experiencing re-registering their SIM cards, according to a policy expert.
The apparent disagreement between the two state regulators was portrayed as sad by Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby. He claimed that if the Authorities communicated with one another, it would be simpler for the general public to complete the SIM card re-registration process.
He stated on Monday that if the NCA and NIA could work out an agreement, the NIA might provide the NCA with a quarterly update of people who have registered and have received their Ghana Cards. And the NCA may really inform the newly registered that they have six weeks to make sure that their SIM card is linked to the Ghana Card after obtaining that list.
On Monday, he was a guest on Joy FM's Super Morning Show.
According to Dr. Wereko-Brobby, who cited agreements between financial institutions and NIA, banks have worked with the Authority to make using the Ghana Card a necessity for all transactions. He pointed out that the NCA may model this after the current SIM card re-registration process.
The NIA is arguing, "I cannot guarantee for the data and biometric that are being created by somebody else," because the NCA has hired a third party to do certain tasks. The underlying meaning of two elephants fighting, he said, "is that we, the 'grasses,' suffer. This is a turf battle. Many consumers have had difficulty re-registering their cards as the Ministry of Communication and Digitalization has mandated.
The exercise has been extended until September 30, 2022, rather than ending on July 31, 2022, as originally planned. 7.9 million Ghanaians would have lost their SIM cards without the extension.
The Communications and Digitalization Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, stated at a news conference on Sunday that discussions with industry stakeholders led to the extension. "I have very reluctantly decided to give a conditional extension after consulting with the industry and in light of the difficulties listed above.
The programme will continue through September 30 in order to terminate on the anniversary of its beginning.
We'll have a full year of SIM registration after that. Any SIM that has not been properly registered by the end of August would be prohibited from obtaining certain services, such as phone and data services, when it is evaluated at the end of this month, she added.
Dr. Wereko-Brobby opposes the Ministry's decision to give the exercise a deadline, nevertheless. He claims that setting timelines for the practise would be impolite given that the main item required for the re-registration process—the Ghana Card—has no date.
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